"
"He feels differently about it," said Louis, "and yet he has the
tenderest heart I ever knew within the breast of a man."
"He is a good brother, Louis. I could not ask a better."
"Nor find one if you did."
At that moment Matthias came in. Taking off his hat and saluting us in
his accustomed way, he said:
"'Pears like I'll have to ask some of yere to go out in de woods a
piece--thar's a queer looking gal out thar, an' she's mighty nigh froze
to death; she is, sartin."
"Where is she, Matthias?"
"Clean over thar; quite a piece, miss."
"Near any house?" I said.
"Wall, miss, she mout be two or three good steps from that thar
brick-colored house."
"Oh, clear over there? Well," I said, "I'll go over if Lou Desmonde will
go with me."
"I will go, only never call me that again. Matthias calls me Mas'r
Louis, and he says I remind him of a mighty nice fellow down in South
Carliny," said Louis.
"Yis, sah, you does," said Matthias.
Telling mother and Aunt Hildy what we were going out to find, we
started.
It was a very cold day, and through our warm clothing the winds of March
pierced the marrow of our bones. We found the woman, who proved to be,
as Matthias had said, nearly frozen. Louis took her right in his arms to
the nearest shelter, Mr. Goodwin's, the brick-colored house, and his
good, motherly wife had her put into the large west-room, where the
spare bed was made so temptingly clean, and with such an airy feather
mattress, that, light as she was, the poor girl sank into it almost out
of sight.
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