Magic Elizabeth
CHAPTER SIXTEEN Christmas Eve
THE STORY SO FAR: Sallys friend Emily has found Elizabeths bonnet in the attic! But try as they might, the two girls cannot find the missing Elizabeth.
NEXT morning Sally woke feeling extremely strange. Her throat was very sore, and she felt hot and cold by turns, and quite horribly weak besides. Her voice came out as a hoarse croak.
My goodness, said Aunt Sarah, peering down at her. She placed a hand on Sally forehead. “Why, youre simply burning up. You stay right here in bed. I’ll call the doctor.
Sally fell back asleep and woke to see what at first looked like a faraway round moon hovering over her bed. But it was, after all, Dr. Green, a pleasant red-faced man.
You’re going to be right here in bed for a few days, it seems, he said. You have a touch of the flu that’s going around, and you’re not going to feel like doing much else.
A few days! What about Elizabeth? Sally wondered in anguish. A few days could mean a week, and then she’d probably be going home, and Aunt Sarah would sell the house, and she’d never find Elizabeth!
Dr. Green took the thermometer from Sally’s mouth and nodded. Feverish, all right, he said. But theres no need for your aunt to worry your parents. Just stay in bed and take your medicine regularly. You’ll be up before you know it.
For a few days Sally slept a good deal of the time. Aunt Sarah brought her books to read and paper dolls to cut out. Sometimes they just talked together, mostly about California.
You must like it there a lot, said Sally rather wistfully. “I suppose you want to go back as soon as you can.
Well, I only came here to sell the house.
I wonder, said Sally, if another girl will live here……
The tree was dragged into the house at last. They stood it up in a corner of the parlor next to the melodeon. It fit exactly, the tip just brushing the ceiling.
