“You was n’t responsible f’r the cow’s gettin’, ‘n’ Jathrop was.  It’s Jathrop ’s is to blame, ‘n’ if any one’s to be sued it ’d ought to be him, ‘n’ he ain’t got no property but the cow, ‘n’ she’s hung up dead ‘n’ her own damage, so it’s no use sum’ him f’r anythin’.  Folks ’s ain’t got nothin’ don’t never have any law troubles, ‘n’ Jathrop is gone off ‘n’ so he ‘s specially handy to blame for everythin’.  ’S far ’s my observation ’s ’xtended, it ’s always folks a long ways off ’s it’s wisest to lay all the faults to, ‘n’ ’f I was you—­”

Mrs. Lathrop’s eyes suddenly started out of her head.

“I can’t feel my leg!” she cried.

Susan sprang to her feet.

“It’s the plaster!” she exclaimed; then, starting towards the door, “I ’ll run ‘n’ get the axe ‘n’ hack you right out.”

“No—­no,” screamed Mrs. Lathrop, “not the axe.”

“Then I ’ll bring up the teakettle ‘n’ pour boilin’ water on it till it softens ‘n’ comes off.”

“No, I don’t want—­”

“Well, Mrs. Lathrop,”—­Susan looked her disapproval,—­“seems to me you ‘re jus’ a little fussy.  I must say if you ain’t willin’ to have it broke off or soaked off, I can’t well see how it’s goin’ to be got off.”

Mrs. Lathrop bunched herself somewhat, and a grating and powdering noise resulted.

“I drew it right up!” she cried joyfully.

Susan’s expression became enigmatic.

Mrs. Lathrop manoeuvred further.

“I straightened it out!” she announced further.

Miss Clegg approached the bed.

“I don’t believe ’s it was ever broke,” she said in deep disgust.

“Dr. Brown said he wa’n’t sure,” the invalid continued, elongating and contracting herself, caterpillar-like,’ “he said ’s he ’d wait the windin’—­”

“Mrs. Lathrop,” said Susan suddenly, “I ‘ve jus’ thought!  It’s this afternoon ’s the butcher ‘n’ the man ’s mends church spires ‘s comin’ together to get the cow out o’ the mill-wheel.  The whole c’mmunity ’s goin’ down to look on, ‘n’ I can’t see no good ‘n’ s’fficient reason why you should n’t go too.  I ’ll help you dress, ‘n’ we ’ll scurry along right now.  ’F we meet Mr. Weskin ‘n’ he says lawsuit to you, you jus’ up ‘n’ tell him ’s you ‘re goin’ to sue him for throwin’ you head foremost into a fever on a’count o’ not knowin’ where your only son ’s been gone all night, ‘n’ ’f young Dr. Brown ever has the face to so much ‘s hint at a bill, you jus’ out ‘n’ ask him ’f he knows a whole leg when he sees one, ‘n’ if he don’t answer, say ’t you ’ve got two in spite o’ his plaster.  There’s always a way out o’ anythin’ ’f a person only don’t try to think it out, but jus’ speaks up sharp ‘n’ decided.  Come on ‘n’ get up now, ‘n’ I ’ll help you hurry, ‘n’ your leg won’t miss nothin’ after all.”

Mrs. Lathrop got out of bed at once.

IV

SUSAN CLEGG’S COUSIN MARION