"The up-stairs blinds have been closed all day." Sandy pushed back the apple-dumpling which Aunt Melvy had made at his special request.
"Perhaps I can be helping them," he said as he rose from the table.
When he came back he sat for a long time with his head on his hand.
"Is she much worse ?" asked Mrs.Hollis.
"Yes," said Sandy; "and it's little that I can do, though she's coughing her life away.

It's a shame--and a shame!" he cried in hot rebellion.
All his vanity of the morning was dispelled by the tragedy taking place next door.

He paced back and forth between the two houses, begging to be allowed to help, and proposing all sorts of impossible things.
When inaction became intolerable, he plunged into his law books, at first not comprehending a line, but gradually becoming more and more interested, until at last the whole universe seemed to revolve about a case that was decided in a previous century.
When he rose it was almost dusk, and he came back to the present world with a start.

His first thought was of Ruth and the rapturous prospect of seeing her on the morrow; a swift doubt followed as to whether a white tie or a black one was proper; then a sudden fear that he had forgotten how to dance.

He jumped to his feet, took a couple of steps--when he remembered Martha.
The house seemed suddenly quiet and lonesome.