Two Little Women

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER VI

  ROLLER SKATING

  The day after the party the two girls sat as usual in the big swingtalking things over.

  "I like that boy with the funny name," said Dotty; "the one they callLollie. Such a silly name for a boy!"

  "Yes; such a dignified name as Lorillard ought not to have such a sillynickname. But he's always called Lollie. He is a nice boy, but I likeJoe Collins better."

  "Yes, he's funny and makes you laugh all the time. But those twin boysare the nicest of all. What funny names they all have. Tod and Tad!"

  "How do you like the girls?"

  "The Rawlins girls are nice and Celia Ferris. But I like you best,Dolly, and except for parties I don't care so much about a crowd. Let'sgo roller skating."

  "Oh, no; let's sit here and swing; it's too hot to skate."

  "Pshaw! come on. You're too lazy for anything. You just sit around anddo nothing and that's what makes you so fat. Get your skates and I'llrace you around the block. Really, Doll, you ought to take more exerciseor you'll get terribly fat."

  "Well, you'd better not take so much then, for you're as thin as aping-wing now!"

  "What's a ping-wing?"

  "I don't know, but it's the thinnest thing there is. All right, I'llskate around the block once or twice, and then we'll go and see if thereare any little cakes left over from yesterday."

  In a short time the two girls had their skates on and started to rollalong the smooth, wide pavements of Summit Avenue.

  "Let's do this," proposed Dotty. "Start right here in front of ourhouse; you go one way and I the other round the whole block and see ifwe can come back and meet right straight here."

  "All right, but I know I can't go as fast as you do. You skate like astreak of lightning."

  "Well, I'll go sort of slow for me, and you go as swift as you can, andlet's try to come together right here."

  The two girls started in opposite directions, and turned theirrespective corners on their way around the block. In due time theypassed each other in the street back of their own, and Dotty noddedapproval as she saw they were about half way round. They didn't pause toexchange any words but, waving their hands, went on their way androunded again on Summit Avenue.

  As they saw each other approach, they regulated their speed in a carefulattempt to meet exactly where they had started. Dotty had to curb herspeed and go a little more slowly or she would be ahead of time. ButDolly saw that it would take a pretty strong spurt for her to reach thegoal, so when they were about ten feet apart Dolly made a special effortand put all her strength into a last grand dash. Dotty hadn't looked forthis and as she rolled rather slowly to the appointed place Dolly camealong and with a fell swoop, unable to control her direction, shecrashed right into Dotty and the two girls went down in a heap. Theimpact was so sudden and unexpected that neither had a chance to saveherself in any way and there was a tangle of waving arms and legs, andskate-rollers as the crash occurred.

  "I've broken myself," Dolly announced calmly, though her voice soundeddazed and queer. Dotty opened her mouth to speak but changed her mindand gave voice to the wildest kind of a shriek. She followed this upwith several others of increasing force and volume and looked at Dolly,wondering why she didn't yell too. But the reason was that Dolly hadfainted and the white face and closed eyes of her friend made Dottyscream louder than ever.

  Various members of the two families ran to the scene, as well as severalneighbours.

  Mrs. Fayre and Mrs. Rose looked on somewhat helplessly at the two girls,but Aunt Clara went at once at the rescue. She and Trudy lifted Dotty toher feet and found she could stand.

  "Try to stop screaming, dearie," said Aunt Clara, "and tell me whereyou're hurt."

  "I don't know," cried Dotty; "I don't know and I don't care! But Dollyis dead! My Dolly, my own Dollyrinda is dead! And it's all my fault'cause I made her go skating, and my arm hurts awful! Ow!"

  "Her arm is broken," said Mrs. Bayliss, gently lifting Dotty's righthand, which caused more piercing shrieks. "What shall we do? Somebodycall a doctor quick!"

  Meanwhile the strong arms of a neighbour's gardener had lifted Dolly andwas carrying her toward her own home.

  "It's her leg that's bruk," he said, holding her as gently as possible."It's good luck she fainted; she'll come round all right, but she's bruka bone, the poor dear."

  It seemed ages to the anxious mothers and friends, but it was reallyonly a short time before doctors arrived and the two little suffererswere put to bed and their injuries attended to.

  Sure enough Dolly's leg was broken, and Dotty had a fractured arm.

  Both houses were in a tumult of confusion as surgeons and nurses tookpossession and bones were set and splints and bandages applied.

  Dolly Fayre took it quietly and seemed almost awestricken, when at lastshe realised that she was in her bed to stay for several weeks.

  "But it doesn't hurt much," she said wonderingly to Trudy. "Why does ittake so long to get well?"

  "Because the bone has to knit, dear, and that is a slow process. I'mglad it doesn't hurt, but it may at times. The worst, though, is thatyou will get very tired lying still so long. But I know what a bravelittle girl you are, and we will all do all we can to help and amuseyou."

  "Did Dotty break anything?"

  "Yes, she broke her left arm. That is not as bad as your breaking yourleg, for she can walk about sooner than you can. But hers is morepainful, so there's small choice in the two accidents."

  "Is she yelling like fury?" inquired Dolly, who herself lay placid andwhite-faced, though her blue eyes showed the strain she had undergone.

  "Yes, she is," and Trudy smiled a little. "You two children are sodifferent. I wish you would yell a little and not look so patientlymiserable."

  "What's Dolly yelling about? Because she hurts so?"

  "Partly that; and partly because she's blaming herself for the wholething."

  "How ridiculous! She isn't a bit more to blame than I am. She proposedskating, but it was because I ran into her that we fell down. I tried tosteer out but I couldn't."

  "Don't think about who is to blame; that doesn't matter. The only thingto think about is to get well as quick as you can."

  "But we can't do anything to help that along; the doctors have to dothat."

  "Indeed you can help a lot. If you're patient and quiet and cheerful youwill get well sooner than if you fuss and fret and cry. That might causefever and inflammation and all sorts of things."

  Trudy was sitting on the edge of Dolly's bed and she smiled lovinglydown at her little sister. "I'm going to take care of you," she went on;"Mother wants to have a trained nurse, but I think you would like itbetter to have me for a nurse, wouldn't you?"

  "I'd like it better," and Dolly looked up wistfully, "but I don't wantto bother you too much, Trudy."

  "Oh, it isn't any bother, and besides, Mother will do a great deal ofthe nursing. Here she comes now with your luncheon."

  Mrs. Fayre came in, bringing a dainty tray on which was a small bowl ofbroth and some crackers.

  "The nurse has gone," she announced, "and I'm glad of it. It wasnecessary to have her here while the doctors set the broken bones, andshe will come in every morning as long as may be necessary. But it'smuch nicer to be in charge of this case myself and have fulljurisdiction over my patient."

  "Oh, ever so much nicer, Mother," and Dolly raised affectionate blueeyes to her mother's face. "Can I sit up to eat?"

  "No, honey; you'll have to learn to eat lying down. But Mother will feedyou and we'll pretend you're one of those grand Roman ladies who alwaysate their meals reclining on a couch."

  So, although not altogether a comfortable procedure, Dolly took herfirst lesson in swallowing without raising her head.

  Meantime somewhat different scenes were being enacted next door.

  Dotty's more excitable nature had been thoroughly upset by the shock ofthe accident, the pain of her injury and the remorse that she felt atfeeling herself responsi
ble for the tragedy.

  Her screams were hysterical and the efforts of her mother, her aunt andthe nurse to quiet her were alike unavailing.

  "I've killed my Dolly! I've killed my Dolly!" she would cry over andover, and though they told her that Dolly Fayre was resting quietly andsuffering very little pain, she would not believe it and insisted theywere deceiving her.

  "You only say that to quiet me!" she cried. "I know it isn't true. Iknow Dolly has broken most all her bones and I know she'll never walkagain. Why, I saw her myself, all limp and dead-looking. If she livesshe'll be a cripple. Oh, my arm! my arm! I wish they'd cut it off! I'drather not have it at all than have it hurt like this."

  Impulsive Dotty tried to move her injured arm and then shrieked with thepain it caused her.

  "You mustn't do that!" said Nurse Johnson somewhat severely; "if youtry to move that arm it won't heal right and you'll have to have itbroken over again and re-set."

  Dotty glared at the nurse and then screamed: "I hate you! You go rightstraight out of this house! My mother can take care of me good enoughand I don't want you around."

  "There, there, Dotty dear," said Mrs. Rose; "don't talk to nurse likethat. She has been very kind to you; and it's true if you move your armaround like that or try to do so, you'll make your injury far worse."

  "I don't care! I want to make it worse! I want to have it cut off! Iwon't have a broken arm,-- I won't-- I won't!"

  "Don't mind her, nurse; she's beside herself with pain and fright."

  "Oh, that's all right, Mrs. Rose," and the white-capped nurse smiled; "Idon't blame little girls for being cantankerous when they're laid uplike this. It's awful hard on them and nobody knows it better than I do.And I'm not going to stay long, Miss Dotty. Only a day or two till yourmother and aunt get the knack of taking care of you."

  "I shall be head nurse," said Mrs. Bayliss, smiling at Dotty, "and yourmother shall be my assistant."

  "I don't want you for my nurse, Aunt Clara, and I don't want MissJohnson, I just want Mother all the time."

  "Yes, Dotty, dear, Mother will be here all the time," and Mrs. Rosegently stroked the moist dark curls back from the little brow.

  For a few moments Dotty was quieter, and then she screamed out again,"Tell me about Dolly, tell me the truth about Dolly. Did she break bothher legs?"

  "No, dear, only one. It has been set and she is doing nicely, althoughshe will be in bed for a long time. You will probably get up and go tosee her long before she can come in here."

  "I want to go now!" and Dotty tried to rise; "I want to see Dolly! Imust see Dolly!"

  Gently but firmly the nurse held Dotty down on the pillows. "Lie still,"she commanded, for she saw that stern measures were necessary.

  "I can't lie still, when I don't know how Dolly is! I don't believe whatyou tell me about her. But I'll believe Genie. She always tells me thetruth. Come here, Genie!"

  Dotty screamed her sister's name in a loud voice, and the little girlcame running into the sick room.

  Genie looked scared and white-faced as she saw Dotty in splints andbandages.

  "Genie," said Dotty, and her black eyes burned like coals, "you gostraight over to Fayres and see Dolly. See for yourself and see just howshe is and come straight back and tell me."

  "Let her go," said the nurse; "that's a good idea."

  So Genie ran over to the next house and found Mrs. Fayre.

  "Please let me see Dolly," she said earnestly, "'cause if I don't Dottythinks she's dead, and then Dotty will die too, so please let me seeher, Mrs. Fayre. Can't I?"

  After some consideration Mrs. Fayre said Genie might go to Dolly's roomfor a few moments.

  "How are you, Dolly?" said the child, marching in and standing by thebedside with the air of a Royal Messenger.

  "I'm pretty good," and Dolly smiled wanly at her little visitor. "How'sDotty?"

  "Dotty's awful. But she'll be better when she knows how you are. So tellme zactly."

  "Well, tell Dotty my right leg is broken. One of the bones just abovethe ankle. But tell her except for that, I'm all right and for her notto worry about me and we'll see who can get well first. And give her mylove and--and--oh, that's all, good-bye, Genie!"

  The little girl ran out of the room and as soon as she disappeared Dollyburst into floods of weeping. That was her way of relieving heroverburdened nerves instead of screaming hysterically like Dotty.

  Trudy tried to soothe her, but there was no staying the torrent oftears, until at last they stopped because Dolly was exhausted.

  "There," said Mrs. Fayre brightly as she wiped Dolly's eyes, "I'm justglad you did that! There's nothing like a good cry to straighten thingsout. Now I shouldn't be one bit surprised if you could take a nicelittle nap." And Dolly did so.

  Meantime Genie trotted home with her comforting news for Dotty.

  "Dolly's all right," she announced. "'Cept one leg is broked. But that'sall. Only just one bone of one leg. And she says to see who'll get wellfirst."

  "How did she look?" asked Dotty eagerly.

  "Like a angel," replied Genie, enthusiastically. "Her face was all whiteand her eyes were so blue and her hair was all goldy and braided in twocurly braids tickling around her ears. Oh, she looked lovely! Heapsbetter than you do, Dot. Your face is all red and splotchy, and youreyes are as big as saucers and your hair looks like the dickens."

  "I don't care," said Dotty, crossly; "I don't care how I look."

  "But I care how you feel," said her mother, "and now you know that Dollyis very much alive, I'm sure you'll let nurse bathe your face and brushyour hair and then I'm going to sing you to sleep."

  * * * * *

  As is usual in case of broken bones the first night proved a very tryingtime for all concerned.

  Dolly Fayre, though an unusually patient child, felt as if she could notbear the pain and discomfort of her strapped and splinted leg. Hermother and Trudy, and her father too, did all they could to alleviateher sufferings, but the uncontrollable tears welled up in the blue eyesand rolled over the fevered cheeks of the little sufferer.

  "I try to be good, Father," she said, as Mr. Fayre bent over her, "butit does hurt so awful."

  "Does it, you dear blessed baby? Let Daddy cuddle your head in his arm,so, and sing to you, maybe that will help."

  But when Mr. Fayre gently put his arm under the golden head on thepillow Dolly cried out that his coat sleeve was too scratchy.

  "Well, now, we'll just fix that! Give me one of your dressing gowns,Mother."

  Dolly had to laugh a little when Mrs. Fayre brought a silk kimono of herown and managed to get its loose folds draped around her stalwarthusband.

  "_Now_ I rather guess we won't scratch our poor little fevery cheeks,"and Mr. Fayre so deftly slipped his silk clad arm under Dolly's head,that she rested in his strong clasp with a feeling of security andcomfort.

  "That's lovely, Daddy; it just seems as if I had some of your big strongstrength and my pain doesn't hurt so much."

  Then Mr. Fayre sang in soft low tones which greatly soothed the littlepatient. But not for long. All through the night the paroxysms of agonywould recur and poor little Dolly cried like a baby, because shecouldn't possibly help it.

  But the Rose family had even worse times to take care of Dotty. She,too, suffered intensely and even made it worse because she wouldn't staystill. With a sudden jerk she would sit up in bed and then scream withthe pain occasioned by wrenching her injured arm.

  "You mustn't do that, dear," said Mr. Rose, who usually could calm Dottyin her most wilful moments.

  "I have to!" cried the little girl; "you would, too, if your arm was allon fire, and shooting needles into you and not set right and has to bebroken over again and all twisted up and hanging by a thread, anyway!Ow!--ow!--OW!!" Her voice rose in a shrill screech and she rocked backand forth in her pain and anger.

  "Now, Dotty dear," said her father, "you must realise that you makematters a great deal worse by jumping around and m
oving your arm--"

  "But I can't help it! I'm going to shake it till I shake it off!" andDotty gave a violent shake of her shoulders and then screamed with theadded pain she brought on herself.

  She so disarranged the bandages that it was necessary to telephone forthe doctor at once to readjust them.

  "This won't do, young lady," said Dr. Milton as he looked at the havocshe had wrought in his careful work; "if you keep up these performancesyou'll have to be strapped to the bed so tightly that you can't moveeither arm. How would you like that?"

  "I'd break loose somehow! you shan't strap me down!" Dotty's eyesblazed and her black curls bobbed as she shook her head angrily at thedoctor.

  But Dr. Milton paid little heed to her words. He redressed her arm andthen said in his firm yet pleasant way: "I don't know you very well,Miss Dotty, but I perceive you have a strong will of your own. Now areyou going to use it rightly to help yourself get well, or wrongly tomake all the trouble possible for yourself and every one else?"

  Dotty looked at him. She was not accustomed to this kind of talk, forher parents were inclined to be over indulgent with her tantrums and hertemper.

  "I do want to get well as soon as I can," she said, "and I will try tobe good,--but you don't know how it hurts."

  "Yes, I do know," and the good doctor smiled down at her; "I know ithurts like fury! like the very dickens and all! and I know it's just allyou can do to bear it. But if you can get through to-night, I'll promiseyou it'll feel better to-morrow."

  He went away and Dotty did try to be as good as she could, but the awfultwinges of pain frequently made her forget her resolutions and toherself and the whole household it seemed as if the night would neverend.