"My goodness! I knew that," said Kate. "I am thinking so hard
I'm losing what little sense I had; but anyway, mere thinking is
doing me a world of good. I am beginning to feel a kind of rising
joy inside, and I can't imagine anything else that makes it."
Adam went to school, laughing. Kate did the washing and ironing,
and worked in the garden getting beds ready. Tuesday she was at
the same occupation, when about ten o'clock she dropped her spade
and straightened, a flash of perfect amazement crossing her face.
She stood immovable save for swaying forward in an attitude of
tense listening.
"Hoo! hoo!"
Kate ran across the yard and as she turned the corner of the house
she saw a one-horse spring wagon standing before the gate, while a
stiff, gaunt figure sat bolt upright on the seat, holding the
lines. Kate was at the wheel looking up with a face of delighted
amazement.
"Why, Mother!" she cried. "Why, Mother!"
"Go fetch a chair and help me down," said Mrs. Bates, "this seat
is getting tarnation hard."
Kate ran after a chair, and helped her mother to alight. Mrs.
Bates promptly took the chair, on the sidewalk.
"Just drop the thills," she said. "Lead him back and slip on the
halter. It's there with his feed."
Kate followed instructions, her heart beating wildly. Several
times she ventured a quick glance at her mother. How she had
aged! How lined and thin she was! But Oh, how blessed good it
was to see her! Mrs. Bates arose and they walked into the house,
where she looked keenly around, while her sharp eyes seemed to
appraise everything as she sat down and removed her bonnet.
"Go fetch me a drink," she said, "and take the horse one and then
I'll tell you why I came."
"I don't care why you came," said Kate, "but Oh, Mother, thank God
you are here!"
"Now, now, don't get het up!" cautioned Mrs. Bates. "Water, I
said."
Kate hurried to obey orders; then she sank on a chair and looked
at her mother. Mrs. Bates wiped her face and settled in the chair
comfortably.
"They's no use to waste words," she said. "Katie, you're the only
one in the family that has any sense, and sometimes you ain't got
enough so's you could notice it without a magnifyin' glass; but
even so, you're ahead of the rest of them. Katie, I'm sick an'
tired of the Neppleses and the Whistlers and being bossed by the
whole endurin' Bates tribe; sick and tired of it, so I just came
after you."
"Came after me?" repeated Kate stupidly.
"Yes, parrot, 'came after you,'" said Mrs. Bates. "I told you,
you'd no great amount of sense. I'm speakin' plain, ain't I? I
don't see much here to hold you. I want you should throw a few
traps, whatever you are beholden to, in the wagon - that's why I
brought it - and come on home and take care of me the rest of my
time. It won't be so long; I won't interfere much, nor be much
bother. I've kep' the place in order, but I'm about fashed. I
won't admit it to the rest of them; but I don't seem to mind
telling you, Katie, that I am almost winded. Will you come?"