Presently the sibilant silence was broken by a low , half-strangled sob . The sick woman , who had been watching a white evening star through the cherry boughs , turned impatiently at the sound . `` I wish you 'd get over that , Eunice , '' she said sharply . `` I do n't want any one crying over me until I 'm dead ; and then you 'll have plenty else to do , most likely . If it was n't for Christopher I would n't be anyways unwilling to die . When one has had such a life as I 've had , there is n't much in death to be afraid of . Only , a body would like to go right off , and not die by inches , like this . ` Tai n't fair ! '' She snapped out the last sentence as if addressing some unseen , tyrannical presence ; her voice , at least , had not weakened , but was as clear and incisive as ever . The boy at the window stopped whistling , and the girl silently wiped her eyes on her faded gingham apron . Naomi drew her own hair over her lips , and kissed it . `` You 'll never have hair like that , Eunice , '' she said . `` It does seem most too pretty to bury , does n't it ? Mind you see that it is fixed nice when I 'm laid out . Comb it right up on my head and braid it there . '' A sound , such as might be wrung from a suffering animal , came from the girl , but at the same moment the door opened and a woman entered . `` Chris , '' she said sharply , `` you get right off for the cows , you lazy little scamp ! You knew right well you had to go for them , and here you 've been idling , and me looking high and low for you . Make haste now ; it 's ridiculous late . '' The boy pulled in his head and scowled at his aunt , but he dared not disobey , and went out slowly with a sulky mutter .
His aunt subdued a movement , that might have developed into a sound box on his ears , XXXXX a rather frightened glance at the bed .
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