The Mountain Girl by Emma Payne Erskine Chapter 10 Page 5

“Set a cheer, Polly,” he said weakly, offering his great hand. “You are right welcome, suh. Are you visitin’ these parts?”

“This is the doctor I was telling you about, Cate, — Doctor Thryng. I begged him to come up and see could he do anything for you,” said Cassandra. Then she urged the woman to go back to her work and take the children with her. “Doctor and I will look after your old man awhile.” She succeeded in clearing the place of all but one lean hound, who continued to stand by his master and lick his hand, whining presciently, and one or two of the children, who lingered around the door to peer in curiously at the doctor.

A shutter near the bed was tightly closed and, in struggling to open it, Cassandra discovered it was