"Ma'am? Oh,--who cut this tree?--Why,--why, my father got it for me!" he finally stammered out. "I don't know jus' where he did get it. Out in the woods somewheres, I should--" "Ah! Then he cut it himself, did he?" "Yes, ma'am. He cut it all right! He likes to cut Chris'mus trees. He says most people don't know a good Chris'mus tree when they see one." "One could scarce say that about him." This delicate compliment brought forth no response from Sube except a dark scowl, but it terminated Mrs. Hotchkiss-Harger's part of the conversation, and she yielded to her sister's earnest solicitation that she lie down for a while. Left alone with Nancy for a moment Sube began to look around for his cap. "I gotta be goin' home," he whispered huskily. "Going home!" cried Nancy. "Why, you just got here! And besides, we haven't put a thing on the tree yet!" "I know it," muttered Sube, "but my mother tole me I could only stay a couple of minutes--" "Why, it isn't late at all! What time do you have to go?" "What time is it now?" Nancy stepped to the door and looked at the big clock in the hall. "Why, it's only twenty-five minutes after seven!" she announced joyfully. "I gotta go at ha'-past," said Sube, as he struggled to extricate his cap from his coat-pocket where he had finally located it. "That's _mean_!" cried Nancy petulantly. "It's just as mean as it can be! Why didn't you come earlier?" "Well, I did come right after supper--" "Then what you got to go so soon for?" "Why--why, my mother's got to go to see a sick lady." "A sick lady? Who's sick that your mother's got to go and see, I'd like to know?" "I guess you don't know everybody that's sick!" "I guess I know everybody that's sick that your mother's got to go and see! Now, who is it?" "It's Auntie Emma! Yah, you didn't know she was sick at all! Did you?" "Well, it must have been awful sudden, because I saw her go by just yesterday." "Sudden! I guess it was sudden. She was sittin' at the supper table jus' well as you are, and _Bingo!_ she fell right out of her chair onto the floor sick abed!" Nancy was deeply moved. "Oh, isn't that awful! What made it?" "Huh?--What made it?--Why, I can't think what they call it. It's an awful funny name." "Was it heart disease?" ventured Nancy. "Aw, it was a million times worse'n that!" Nancy gasped. "She isn't going to die, is she?" "Well, I dunno," he replied dubiously. "She was still alive when I come away, but--" "I'm sorry," murmured Nancy. "Awful sorry. I hope--" "Well, I gotto be goin'. They might need me any minute!" "I'm so sorry about it. Do you s'pose you'll be able to--to come to my party?" This was a new phase of the matter that Sube had not considered. "Well, you can't tell," he replied. "It's a funny disease. Doc Richards says she may be dead one minute, or may be well the next."