Nancy Ellen and Robert each began making suggestions,
but Kate preferred to solve her own problems.
“I think,” she said, “that I shall
hide the telescope under the privet bush, there isn’t
going to be rain to-night; and then I will go down
to Hiram’s and stay all night and watch for Adam
when he passes in the morning. Hiram always
grumbles because we don’t come oftener.”
“Then we will go with you,” said Nancy
Ellen. “It will be a pleasant evening
walk, and we can keep you company and pacify my twin
brother at the same time.”
So they all walked to the adjoining farm on the south
and when Nancy Ellen and Robert were ready to start
back, Kate said she was tired and she believed she
would stay until morning, which was agreeable to Hiram
and his wife, a girlhood friend of Kate’s.
As Nancy Ellen and Robert walked back toward home:
“How is this going to come out?” he asked,
anxiously.
“It will come out all right,” said Nancy
Ellen, serenely. “Kate hasn’t a
particle of tact. She is Father himself, all
over again. It will come out this way:
he will tell me that Kate has gone back on him and
I shall have to teach the school, and I will say that
is the only solution and the best thing to
do. Then I shall talk all evening about how
provoking it is, and how I hate to change my plans,
and say I am afraid I shall lose you if I have to
put off our wedding to teach the school, and things
like that,” Nancy Ellen turned a flushed sparkling
face to Robert, smiling quizzically, “and to-morrow
I shall go early to see Serena Woodruff, who is a
fine scholar and a good teacher, but missed her school
in the spring by being so sick she was afraid to contract
for it. She is all right now, and she will be
delighted to have the school, and when I know she
will take it then I shall just happen to think of
her in a day or two and I’ll suggest her, after
I’ve wailed a lot more; and Father will go to
see her of his own accord, and it will all be settled
as easy as falling off a chunk, only I shall not get
on so fast with my sewing, because of having to help
Mother; but I shall do my best, and everything will
be all right.”
The spot was secluded. Robert Gray stopped to
tell Nancy Ellen what a wonderful girl she was.
He said he was rather afraid of such diplomacy.
He foresaw clearly that he was going to be a managed
man. Nancy Ellen told him of course he was, all
men were, the thing was not to let them know it.
Then they laughed and listened to a wood robin singing
out his little heart in an evening song that was almost
as melodious as his spring performances had been.
Early in the morning Kate set her young nephew
on the gate-post to watch for his cousin, and he was
to have a penny for calling at his approach.
When his lusty shout came, Kate said good-bye to
her sister-in-law, paid the penny, kissed the baby,
and was standing in the road when Adam stopped.
He looked at her inquiringly.
