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Updated: June 15, 2025
Helena picked up her guitar and played soft melodies upon it, the others humming them under their breaths not to disturb the player, only Alfy presuming to fit real words to the music but not interfering with it. Suddenly Dorothy raised her eyes from the playing fountain, on which she had been dreamily gazing and thinking of lost Jim. A sound, faint, of horses' footfalls had entered her dream.
And then, as if he had felt himself under discussion, or more likely as Alfy surmised had smelled the odor of good things even through many partitions, the door softly opened, and there appeared a tumbled head, a frightened face, and a pair of beseeching eyes. Whatever reproof was in store for him, he meant those eyes should do their part toward modifying it. And for a time all went well.
The cook shook his head and Alfy foraged for herself: presently securing from the pantry a box of crackers and a jar of cheese. Armed with these refreshments she felt she would be sustained until the regular supper time, and invited her mates to accompany her on a visit to this wonderful hen whose name was in everybody's mouth.
Laying her bonnet carefully upon the side table, she followed Madam into the kitchen, yet would not permit that lady to explore the barn as she set out to do. "Come along with me, Alfy, but get a lantern. I hear the barn door swingin' an' old Whitey mooin' as if even she was scared. You or Monty must ha' been careless about shuttin' up to-night, which uther one of you done it, or didn't do it."
To which Alfy replied from her own room: "No, Molly Breckenridge, don't be a goose. We'd have eaten him up, course. We'd have had bear steak for breakfast Some say it's good. Don't s'pose with all them men around they'd have let it live very long? No, indeedy. But Matty did it real cute, after all, didn't he? Must ha' been terrible hot, trampin' around under all that skin.
Alfaretta still held the soft cover, which had slipped off when Leslie cut the rushes binding it on, turning it idly in her hands. Suddenly she stopped and stared at its inner side, then excitedly stooped where Dorothy was feeding the lamb and pointed, exclaiming: "For the land sakes, Dolly Doodles, look at that!" "Take care, Alfy! You're scaring this timid little thing so it won't drink.
"Huh?" demanded the man. "Alfy Dupoy? Who's that? Her feller?" "Oh, dear me, no!" gasped Helen. "His name is Henri Marchand. I shall have to tell her that." "Needn't mind," returned the man. "I can't be blamed for misunderstanding half what you Easterners say. You got me locoed right from the start."
To another corner of the saddle cloth, Captain Lem slowly attached the initial "A," as mark of ownership, then beckoned to Alfy that she should mount. All her mates watched her curiously, expecting to see her timid and reluctant.
With which remark she led the way to the foot of the hay-mow and sent up the summons which had caused Montgomery's sudden disappearance. "Alfy! A-A-Alfy!" Her name hissed into her ear partially roused the bound-out girl from a nap she had been taking with the towel in one hand, an unwiped dish in the other. She had the faculty of going to sleep anywhere and any time opportunity offered.
The other girls rushed outward to see for themselves, and Alfy reached the piazza just in time to hear Mattie remark: "Yes, they do travel powerful slow. They ain't in no hurry to get here. Somethin's happened. You can just believe me somethin's happened!"
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