“Is Mr. Kinney hurt?” said Draxy in a strange voice, high pitched and metallic.  “I shall not go back.  Tell the men to hurry.  How dare they lose time so?” and Draxy tried to run towards them.  Old Ike held her by main force.  Sobs choked his voice, but he stammered out:  “O Mis’ Kinney, ef ye love Mr. Kinney, go back.  He’d tell ye so himself.  He won’t know ye; the men won’t never move a step till they see you ‘n’ Reuby goin’ first.”

Draxy turned instantly and walked toward the house so swiftly that little Reuby could not keep up with her.  He followed her crying aloud, but she did not heed him.  She flew rather than ran into the house, into the Elder’s study, and dragged a lounge to the very threshold of the door.  There she stood, whiter than any marble, and as still, awaiting the slow, toiling steps of the overburdened men.  Little Reuben stumbled on the steps and she did not help him.  As he came close, clutching her dress in his pain and terror, she said in a low whisper, “Reuby, it will trouble papa if he sees us cry.  Mamma isn’t going to cry.”  The child stopped instantly and stood by her side, as calm as she for a moment, then bursting out again into screams, said:  “O mamma, I can’t help crying, I can’t; but I’ll run away.  Don’t tell papa I cried.”  And he ran up-stairs.  Draxy did not see which way he went.  Her eyes were fixed on the doorway which Ike had that moment reached; the men bearing the Elder’s body were just behind him.

“O Mis’ Kinney! can’t yer go away jest while we lay him down?” gasped Ike.  “Seem’s ef ’twouldn’t be so hard.”

Draxy looked past him, as not hearing a word.

“Bring him in here and lay him on this lounge,” she said, in tones so clear and calm they sent both courage and anguish into every heart.

Panting, and with grief-stricken faces, the men staggered in and laid the tall, majestic figure down.  As they lifted the head tenderly and propped it by pillows, Draxy saw the pale, dead face with the sunken eyes and set lips, and gave one low cry.  Then she clasped both hands tight over her heart and looked up as if she would pierce the very skies whither her husband had gone.

“We sent for the doctor right off; he’ll be here’s soon’s he can get here.”

“He never spoke a word arter we lifted him up.  He couldn’t ha’ suffered any, Mis’ Kinney.”

“P’raps, Mis’ Kinney, it’d be a good plan to ondo his clothes afore the doctor gits here,” came in confused and trembling tones from one after another of the men who stood almost paralyzed in presence of Draxy’s terrible silence.

“O Mis’ Kinney, jest speak a word, can’t ye?  O Lord!  O Lord! she’ll die if she don’t.  Where’s Reuby?  I’ll fetch him,” exclaimed Ike, and left the room; the men followed him irresolutely, looking back at Draxy, who still stood motionless, gazing down into the Elder’s face.