Kate waved toward the babies: "Will you please take them away until they need me?" she asked. "Of course," said the doctor. "But don't you want to see them, Kate? There isn't a mark or blemish on either of them. The boy weighs seven pounds and the girl six; they seem as perfect as children can be." "You needn't worry about that," said Kate. "Twins are a Bates habit. My mother had three pairs, always a boy and a girl, always big and sound as any children; mine will be all right, too." The doctor started to turn back the blanket. Kate turned her head away: "Don't you think I have had about enough at present?" she asked. "I'd stake my life that as a little further piece of my punishment, the girl looks exactly like Mrs. Holt." "By Jove," said the doctor, "I couldn't just think who it was." He carried the babies from the room, lowered the blinds, and Kate tried to sleep, and did sleep, because she was so exhausted she could not keep awake. Later in the evening Aunt Ollie slipped in, and said George was in the woodhouse, almost crying himself to death, and begging to see her. "You tell him I'm too sick to be seen for at least a week," said Kate. "But, my dear, he's so broken up; he feels so badly," begged Aunt Ollie. "So do I," said Kate. "I feel entirely too badly to be worried over seeing him. I must take the babies now." "I do wish you would!" persisted Aunt Ollie. "Well, I won't," said Kate. "I don't care if I never see him again. He knows WHY he is crying; ask him." "I'll wager they ain't a word of truth in that tale they're telling," she said. Kate looked straight at her: "Well, for their sakes and my sake, and the babies' sake, don't TALK about it." "You poor thing!" said Aunt Ollie, "I'll do anything in the world to help you. If ever you need me, just call on me. I'll go start him back in a hurry." He came every night, but Kate steadily refused, until she felt able to sit up in a chair, to see him, or his mother when she came to see the babies. She had recovered rapidly, was over the painful part of nursing the babies, and had a long talk with Aunt Ollie, before she consented to see George. At times she thought she never could see him again; at others, she realized her helplessness. She had her babies to nurse for a year; there was nothing she could think of she knew to do, that she could do, and take proper care of two children. She was tied "hand and foot," as Aunt Ollie said. And yet it was Aunt Ollie who solved her problem for her. Sitting beside the bed one day she said to Kate: "My dear, do you know that I'm having a mighty good time? I guess I was lonesomer than I thought out there all alone so much, and the work was nigh to breaking me during the long, cold winter. I got a big notion to propose somepin' to you that might be a comfort to all of us." "Propose away," said Kate. "I'm at my wit's end."