Once more he crossed the paddocks, and once more pushed open the
creaking door. The orange peel lay just where he had seen it before,
only it was a little drier and more dead-looking. The hair ribbon
was in exactly the same knot. The ladder creaked in just the same
place, and again threatened to break his neck when he reached the top.
The dominoes were there still, the ham-bone and the pillow occupied
the same places; the only difference being the former had a black
covering of ants now, and a wind had been playing with the pillow,
and had carried the feathers in all directions.
He crossed the floor, not softly, but just with his usual measured
military-step. Nothing moved. He reached the partition and looked
over.
Judy lay across the improvised bed, sleeping a sleep of utter
exhaustion after her rapid flight from the river. She had a frock of
Meg's on, that made her look surprisingly long and thin; he was
astonished to think she had grown so much.
"There will be no end to my trouble with her as she grows older," he
said, half aloud, feeling extremely sorry for himself for being her
father. Then a great anger and irritation rose within him as he
watched her sleeping so quietly there.
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