Free GI Brides by Grace Livingston Hill

telephone numbers I happened to have. You better take the two younger children with you. Angelica can amuse herself with some books out of the bookcase, and run errands for me if I need her, and I can rest better with the younger ones out of the way.”
    Lexie looked at her sister astonished. Then she shook her head.
    “No, I couldn’t take the children. It’s a long walk I have to go, and they would get very tired. It would take me too long with the children. You see, I have some errands of my own, too. Let me see your list.”
    “Well, I must say, you are not very accommodating. I supposed when I came home I would have the care that the word
home
generally implies, but it seems not. What do you suppose I’ll do alone with the children? I’m not able to get up and look after them.”
    Lexie’s eyes and voice were very grave.
    “I don’t know, Elaine. But they are your children, and you ought to have enough authority over them to keep them in order for the short time I shall be gone.”
    “It won’t be such a short time, my dear sister, after you have done all the things I want you to do. Just cast your eye over that list.”
    Lexie looked at the list, and her expression grew firm.
    “You will notice the order in which I have written my wishes,” said Elaine. “I had a distinct purpose in that, and I want you to observe it carefully. First, call my lawyer. I’ve given you his phone number. Tell him to come at once! He must, to get here before you do, and it is for that reason I want you to take the children. I don’t want to be bothered with them while I am talking to him. Then of course you must order the telephone put in. And next, I want you to contact the nurse. I’ve given you several addresses where you’ll be likely to find one. Of course the best hospitals will know of one. And Lexie, make it plain that I won’t take her at all if she can’t come
right away
! I need her
at once.
Tell her I’ll talk with her about her wages when she gets here. Tell her to take a taxi and that I’m rather helpless and need her at once! And next I want you to stop at Arnold’s and get me a box of those lovely caramels he used to sell. Be sure you get the same kind. You know what they are. And bring them with you if you can’t get him to send them. If he would send them at once I would have something to offer the lawyer. Or you might get a couple of packs of cigarettes. I’m practically out of them. Any good brand. I don’t suppose this dinky town has every kind. And then I wish you would call up Carroll Dayton and ask her the address of that dressmaker she wrote me about, and if she thinks I could get her to alter some dresses for me at once. I’ve been too ill to look after my wardrobe, and I need some things at once. And
next
—”
    Suddenly Lexie handed back the list to her sister.
    “I’m sorry, Elaine, but I’ll not have time for all that. I’ll try to get someone to stay with you, but I can’t do all those other things now. And anyway, unless you have a lot of money, those things will have to wait indefinitely, I’m afraid.
I
certainly haven’t the money. Now, I’m going, and you’ll have to take over with the children. I’ll send them to you. I
ought
to get through and get the noon train if possible, but failing in that I
must
get the night train, if I can find you a nurse. You see I’m already twenty-four hours late, and you must remember that I have a job and obligations. But of course I’ll find somebody first to be with you. I won’t leave you alone. Good-bye, I’ll get back as soon as I can.”
    Lexie flashed a nervous, chilly little smile at her sister and, turning, ran out the door with Elaine calling wildly after her: “Lexie, Lexie! You can’t leave me that way! You can’t! You
can’t
!”
    But Lexie went on down the stairs uncompromisingly. She sent the three children back to their mother with a smile and a promise that she would bring them each something nice if they were