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I watch Becky closely, worried the death of the corpsman will be too much for her and she will slip into the same black hole that I did after Priscilla and John Teeleray The snow is lad you don’t have to go to the CCC caive you the time off You need to rest," Patience says We are all up in the Hesters’ bedroo to her read a bedtime story from her Hans Christian Andersen book, and Danny, in his blue footie pajaled between his mother and father where he can see the pictures Bluht I need the rest, but not just sleep Since Linus’s death,disaster wherever I turn

"Once upon a ti cozily by his potbellied stove eating apples" The phone downstairs rings shrilly two tih me Not a birth Not a birth After Linus’s death, I feel so weak, as if all the courage has drained out of o out in the cold and face another roans, jumps off the bed, and stomps down the stairs to the telephone "Hester hereHow long?Okay" I can’t hear what’s said on the other end, but he clumps back upstairs "Well, Bluo out?" Patience asks

The vet shrugs "It’s one of Walter Schmidt’s sheep, his prize ewe You know hio and he’s raising his boy and taking care of the fare Why don’t you co Patience will be okay for a little while, won’t you, babe?"

"That’s okay I’ll stay and put Danny to bed," I offer

"No, go," insists Patience "It will do you good, after witnessing death, to witness new life It will be healing Danny’s almost asleep already Just take him to his crib, Daniel"

I’ve had an afternoon nap and everyone has been so kind to ood excuse to stay home, so thirty minutes later, Daniel, Dr Blum, and I pull into a shts of the Ford illu, and I’ When Hesterto one of the bigger spreads

The vet gets out his doctor’s bag and hands it to Blum, then the two men head for the barn I follow, unsure what my role will be

"Hello!" Hester boo a woolen knit cap and a plaid wool jacket peeks out the double barn doors Inside, there’s a kerosene lantern hanging froht a fare creature with strings of long, curly wool hanging all over it

"Is the lamb dead, Pa?" the little boy asks

"No, watch It’s still wiggling" He turns toward the door "Hester, thank God you’re here Hated to call you at night, but this ewe is really suffering She’s the one I got at the auction last year, a Leicester Longwool Can’t afford to lose her Been laboring now for five hours I can’t get her to stand on her feet and she’s stopped straining, a bad sign"

"Have you been inside to feel around?"