"You have not yet told me why you came here," she said to Flora, who

was busy making her bed, and who replied: "It's Mr. Guy's work. He

thought I'd better come, as you would need help to get things set to

rights, to could go back to school."

Maddy felt her heart coming up in her throat, but she answered calmly,

"Mr. Guy is very kind--so are you all; but, Flora, I am not going back

to school." "Not going back!" and Flora stopped her bed-making, while

she stared blankly at Maddy. "What be you going to do?" "Stay here and

take care of grandpa," Maddy said, bathing her face and neck in the

cold water, which could not cool the feverish heat she felt spreading

all over them. "Stay here! You are crazy, Miss Maddy! 'Tain't no place

for a girl like you, and Mr. Guy never will suffer it, I know," Flora

rejoined, as she resumed her work, thinking she "should die to be

moped up in that nutshell of a house." With a little sigh as she

foresaw the opposition she should probably meet with from Guy, Maddy

went on with her toilet, which was soon completed, as it did not take

long to arrange the dark calico dress and plain linen collar which she

wore. She was not as fresh-looking as usual that morning, for

excitement and fatigue had lent a paleness to her cheek, and a languor

to her whole appearance, but Flora, who glanced anxiously after her as

she went out, muttered to herself, "She was never more beautiful, and

I don't wonder an atom that Mr. Guy thinks so much of her." The

kitchen was in perfect order, for Flora had been busy there as

elsewhere. The kettle was boiling on the stove, while two or three

little covered dishes were ranged upon the hearth, as if waiting for

some one. Grandpa Markham had gone out, but Uncle Joseph sat in his

accustomed corner, rubbing his hands when he saw Maddy, and nodding

mysteriously toward the front room, the door of which was open, so

that Maddy could hear the fire crackling on the hearth.

"Go in, go in," Uncle Joseph said, waving his hand in that direction.

"My Lord Governor is in there waiting for you. He won't let me spit on

the floor any more as Martha did, and I've swallowed so much that I'm

almost choked."

Continual spitting was one of Uncle Joseph's worst habits, and as his

sister had indulged him in it, it had become a source of great

annoyance both to Maddy, and to some one else of whose proximity Maddy

did not dream. Thinking that Uncle Joseph referred to her grandfather,

and feeling glad that the latter had attempted a reform, she entered

the room known at the cottage as the parlor, the one where the rag

carpet was, the six cane-seated chairs and the Boston rocker, and

where now the little round table was nicely laid for two, while cozily

seated in the rocking-chair, reading last night's paper, and looking

very handsome and happy, was Guy!




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