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Thompson, and, turning about, hurried home to lay her complaint before Cynthy Ann. "I'm glad she's gone," said Sam, looking after her, as with resolute steps she trudged along, punching the snow vigorously with the point of her blue cotton umbrella. "I pity Tom Baldwin; if I had such a grandmother as that, I'd run away to sea. That's so!"
"My! it wahn't but the other day when he put on long pants. It won't be a great while before he'll go into the mills and git all that money. Guess he'll marry some city person. He'd ought to take you, Cynthy." "I don't want him," said Cynthia, the color flaming into her cheeks. And she went off across the green in search of Jethro. There was a laugh from the honest country folk who had listened.
"Washington!" exclaimed Cynthia. "When?" "N-now to-morrow." Then he added uneasily, "C-can't you get ready?" Cynthia laughed. "Why, I'll go to-night, Uncle Jethro," she answered. "Well," he said admiringly, "you hain't one of them clutterin' females. We can get some finery for you in New York, Cynthy. D-don't want any of them town ladies to put you to shame.
"Oh, yes, I will, Marjorie will have the kettle boiling and she'll stir it while I get supper." Mrs. Rheid stooped to pick up the threads that had fallen on her clean floor, rolled up her work, took her gingham sun-bonnet from its hook, and stepped out into the sunshine almost as lightly as Marjorie would have done. "Cynthy" was African John's wife, a woman of deep Christian experience, and Mrs.
With silent feet and loud-beating heart she went down the hall to the back upper porch, for in that day porches were built at the back and front of houses, above and below. Once on the back-porch she turned to the right and stood by Cynthy Ann's door. But a new fear took possession of her. If Cynthy Ann should be frightened and scream! "Cynthy!
He'll be home the end of June, and I'll run Lion's Head till he gets here. You talk," she went on, "as if it was in your hands to break with Cynthy, or throw away the chance with her. The way I look at it, she's broke with you, and you ha'n't got any chance with her. Oh, Jeff," she suddenly appealed to him, "tell me all about it! What have you been up to?
"I'm bound to love the people you love, Cynthy," said the old man stooping to kiss the beautiful face, and patting her cheek with his roll of plans; "and I don't think you've got any call to feel afraid."
When I felt the old pricks and twitches beginning, I pretended to be very sleepy, and I lay down on the sofa and went off, as she thought, into a deep slumber. Presently she came in, and what do you think, Cynthy? she began to examine my hair and beard! Of course she soon saw that it would come off; and then she laughed a little to herself.
"I callate," answered Jethro, still more uneasily, "I callate it's because you're a woman." "And don't you think," asked Cynthia, "that a woman ought to know what becomes her best?" Jethro reflected, and then his glance fell on her approvingly. "G-guess you're right, Cynthy," he said. "I always had some success in dressin' up Listy, and that kind of set me up."
He took a step toward her, and she retreated. The light struck her face, and he bent over her as though searching it for a sign. The cape on her shoulders rose and fell as she breathed. "'Twahn't charity, Cynthy was it? 'Twahn't charity?" "It was you who called it such," she answered, in a low voice. A sleet-charged gust hurled itself against the door, and the lantern flickered.
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