"I hain't got straightened out yet, after drivin' the horse so long. It does put me in a kind o' cramp, somehow, to drive,--'most allays." "Is the horse so hard-mouthed?" "La! bless you, I never felt of his mouth. He don't do nothin'; I don't expect he would do nothin'; but I allays think he's a horse, and there's no tellin'." "That's very true," said Mrs. Reverdy, the laugh of condescending acquiescence mingled with a little sense of fun now. "But do sit down; you'll be tired standing." "There's Mrs. Flandin's waggin, I guess, comin'; she was 'most ready when I come by. Is this your sister?"--looking at Gertrude. "No, the other is my sister. This is Miss Masters; a cousin of your minister." "I thought she was, maybe,--your sister, I mean,--because she had her hair the same way. Ain't it very uncomfortable?" This to Gertrude. "It is very comfortable," said the young lady; "except in hot weather." "Don't say it is!" quoth Miss Barry, looking at the astonishing hair while she got out her needles. "Seems to me I should feel as if my hair never was combed." "Not if it _was_ combed, would you?" said Gertrude gravely. "Well, yes; seems to me I should. I allays liked to have my hair sleeked up as tight as I could get it; and then I knowed there warn't none of it flyin'. But la! it's a long time since I was young, and there's new fashions. Is the minister your cousin?" "Yes. How do you like him?" "I hain't got accustomed to him yet," said the little old lady, clicking her needles with a considerate air. "He ain't like Mr. Hardenburgh, you see; and Mr. Hardenburgh was the minister afore him." "What was the difference?" "Well--Mr. Hardenburgh, you could tell he was a minister as fur as you could see him; he had that look. Now Mr. Masters hain't; he's just like other folks; only he's more pleasant than most." "Oh, he is more pleasant, is he?" "Well, seems to me he is," said the little old lady. "It allays makes me feel kind o' good when he comes alongside. He's cheerful. Mr. Hardenburgh _was_ a good man, but he made me afeard of him; he was sort o' fierce, in the pulpit and out o' the pulpit. Mr. Masters ain't nary one." "Do you think he's a good preacher, then?" said Gertrude demurely, bending over to look at Miss Barry's knitting. "Well, I do!" said the old lady. "There! I ain't no judge; but I love to sit and hear him. 'Tain't a bit like a minister, nother, though it's in church; he just speaks like as I am speakin' to you; but he makes the Bible kind o' interestin'."