She fetched a
tolerably large clothes-horse from somewhere — some shed or
out-building; this she set at the foot of the couch, and hung
an old large green moreen curtain over it. Where the curtain
came from, one of Mrs. Benoit's great locked chests knew;
there were two or three such chests in the inner room, with
more treasures than a green moreen curtain stowed away in
them. The curtain was too large for the clothes-horse to hold
up; it lay over the floor. Juanita got screws and cords; fixed
one screw in the wall, another in the ceiling, and at last
succeeded in stretching the curtain neatly on the cords and
the clothes-horse, where she wanted it to hang. That was done;
and Daisy's couch was quite sheltered from any eyes coming to
the door that had no business to come further. When it was
finished, and the screws and cords put away, Juanita came to
Daisy's side. The eyes were open now.
"That is nice," said Daisy.
"It'll keep you by yourself, my little lady. Now what will she
have?"
"Nothing — only I am thirsty," said Daisy.
Juanita went to the well for some cold water, and mixed with
it a spoonful of currant jelly. It was refreshing to the poor
little dry lips.
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