“Oh, they’s allus kind o’ cold, suh, but I’m feeling right peart. Only, I ’low Super’s tur’ble mad at me fo’ laying off jes’ now, with rush orders on ... mebbe he won’t take me back no mo’....” Her eyelids dragged and she seemed to get them up again with difficulty. “Glory, can you keep a secret?” “Reckon so, suh.....” “Well, the old mill’s coming down! The Altonia’s going to be pulled down!” The small, lean body stiffened. “Then, whar at’ll we all work, suh?” “_You_ won’t work anywhere! You’re never going to work again, Glory,--nor Beany! And the rest of the kids--the big ones--will only work half a day, and go to school and play the rest of the time, and there’ll be a gymnasium and a swimming tank and a lunch room and--” He broke off, considering her with concern. Was she fainting? He’d better get her upstairs and into bed! He rose with her, and she opened her eyes again. “Please go on an’ finish hit, such--that sweet-pretty fairy tale you was a-tellin’ me.” “That was no fairy tale, Glory! That’s coming true--cross my heart! Now, bed for yours, but first, don’t you want to make a wish on the Wishing Carpet? It will come true.” “Cross yo’ heart again, suh, sho’ an’ sartin?” “Cross my heart!” He stood her upon the Persian rug and knelt beside her, steadying her. (Gad, but this was a very sick child!--Weak as a cat! He was going to get a doctor here immediately!) “Now, then, shut your eyes and wish hard!” “_There is ... a ... hap ... pee ... land_----” Old Pap Tolliver’s accordion made a plaintive prophecy, but it was drowned in the sudden and raucous blast of the mill whistle. “Extry help!” The wise little monkey face contracted painfully. “Wish, Glory!” (She _was_ fainting, by gad!) But words came again. “I wish ... I wish ... I never had to hyar that old whistle agin....” She hung in his hands. “Glory!” He tried to make her stand on her feet; he even gave her the tiniest shake, in his terror. “Gloriana-Virginia!” He must have shouted, for there was the sudden patter of hasty feet upstairs, on the stairs, coming down; a heavy scurrying in from the kitchen, a wail of negro woe. “Glory!” “Fo’ de Lawd! Glory!” And drifting back, very faintly, as if the accordion was moving off, motivated by old Pap’s stumbling steps---- “_Far ... far ... a-way...._” CHAPTER XVII _Young Peter sees something he never saw before, and Glen finds that her theory about herself was wrong._ NEVER before in all his life had he seen death. When his father died he was away at school, and by the time he reached home the primal mystery was merged in funeral solemnities. He had left a brisk, genial gentleman who had very little time for anything, and he came back to find a white and silent personage lying in chill state who appeared to have time and to spare, but the actual transition escaped him.