"Yes," she answered, in a voice that sounded muffled and lifeless, "I
have heard from Hilox; I had almost forgotten, but I must answer the
letter. Dear Mrs. Wade, I have heard from home, too. My mother is very
ill, and she needs me. I must go at once--to-morrow morning. I cannot
wait for Commencement."
The Dean asked for further information. Then she urged that Margaret
should wait over the annual great occasion; so much was due the college,
she thought, and she pointed out the fact that Mr. Lee had not asked her
to leave until the exercises were over.
But Margaret had only one reply: "My mother needs me; I must go!"
A week later, at sunset, the old lumbering stage, rolling over the steep
hills and the smooth dales drew up at Margaret's home. Tired, but with a
steadfast light in her eyes, the girl stepped down, received her
father's kiss, and went straight to her mother, waiting in the doorway.
"I am glad--glad you have come, my darling!" said the mother. "While you
are here I can give everything up. But, my love, this is not what we
planned!"
"No, my dearest," said the girl, "but that is of no consequence. I wish
I had known sooner how much, how very much, I was wanted at home!"
"But you will not be a Professor of Greek!" said the mother that night.
It was all arranged for the operation, which was to take place in a
week's time, the surgeons to come from the nearest town. The mother was
brave, gay, heroic.
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