It is perfectly true that Lammy at this time was not a beauty with his tousled reddish hair, freckles, and lean colt's legs, but no one who was a judge of faces could look in his straightforward gray eyes and at the firm line of his chin without feeling that here was the makings of a man, if people did not meddle with the plan God had for his work. Lammy's eyes roved about, and, not seeing the object he wanted, answered his mother slowly, as if it was hard to remember exactly where he had been. "I've been at Aunt Jimmy's most all day until now," he answered. "When I took the butter down after breakfast, she wanted me to help her fix up cause she didn't feel smart, 'n' then there was the chickens to feed, and Jake he didn't go yesterday to spread the grass under the strawberries, and she said if it rained, they'd spoil, so I did that; 'n' then I ate dinner, 'n' dressed up again and started. Then I remembered I told Bird I'd cut her some o' Aunt Jimmy's red pineys for her to take along up there," nodding his head backward toward the hillside graveyard. "Aunt Jimmy's awful particular about those red pineys, and she wouldn't let me cut 'em. She came out in the yard to do it herself, but it took her a long while, and when she'd got them tied up, she said, 'Best go to the house now for they'll be back, and tell your ma to come over to-night, for somehow I feel all strange and worked up as if I was going to have a spell,' and that's why I'm late, and where's Bird?" he ended abruptly. "Lammy Lane, do you mean that aunt is threatened with a spell, and you've took all this time to tell me?" said Mrs. Lane, hardly believing her ears. "Neighbours, I'll have to close up here, Joshua bein' in charge, as it were, as Mis' Jedge o' Probate Ricker understands, until a 'ministrator's fixed on, but we can meet to-morrow forenoon to wash up and discuss the situation. Goodness me, I hope Aunt Jimmy's no more'n overtired!" "'Twouldn't be surprisin' if you was resigned to the worst, seein' your expectations through being the favourite nephew's wife," said Mrs. Slocum, slyly. "Expectations, fiddlesticks!" snorted Mrs. Lane, "you know perfectly well, Mis' Slocum, that the Lord and I are working together as hard as we can to give Aunt Jimmy every breath of life that's coming to her, and seein' that she enjoys it too, her ownin' the best southslope fruit garden between Milltown and Northboro having nothing to do with it. "Lammy, do you go round, and I guess you'll find Bird back of the shed, and you can take her a walk to fetch the posies up yonder, and then bring her down to our house for supper; and if I don't get back first, the butt'ry key is in the kitchen clock, and you and pa can set out a full table. "Young company's best for the young in sorrow," she added to the group as Lammy shot off.