“To-morrow, I won’t be here. No, not till next Friday.” “But I’ve got to go to-morrow to Miss Gentry and she can read it.” “Oh!” said Jinny. “Yes, Flynt wants to have my bonnet cleaned—vanity and waste, I call it.” “But won’t that tire you—such a long walk? Why can’t I take the bonnet to-night? I’ll be passing her house.” “We haven’t finished talking it over yet, Flynt and me,” parried Martha. “I might be having a new bonnet, you see, dearie.” “Well, of course, it’s just as you wish. But suppose it rains to-morrow.” “Rains?” repeated Martha, feeling—she knew not why—like an animal at bay. Then she drew a great breath of relief. Footsteps and voices were borne towards them. “Caleb!” she cried joyfully, “Will’s in London—he’s coming to see his old mother.” “Good buoy-oy!” cried Caleb jovially. It was only what he had expected the letter would say, but at heart he shrank from the change—he had finally equated himself to the dual solitude, and the home-coming prodigal loomed as menacing as Cousin Caroline. “Good boy?” echoed Martha. “I should think he _is_—never cared for girls. And still unmarried.” “There’s a chance for you, Jinny,” chaffed Caleb. “Oh, how can you talk such nonsense!” Jinny was furiously angry. “Basket, Nip,” she called sharply, and climbed up to her seat almost as swiftly as he leapt into his. “Are you coming, Mr. Skindle?” In her abstraction and to busy herself about something, she automatically removed the parcel of stones from the driving-seat. “In a jiffy.” Elijah did not bound as obediently as Nip—he could not lose the chance to pontificate before her. “Not at all so well as you think, Mrs. Flynt. We experts can see what even the breeder can’t. Keep her upon corn and peas—give her just soft stuff.” And he vaulted not ungracefully to Jinny’s side. “Thank you, sir,” said Martha, impressed. “Have you paid him?” she inquired of Caleb in a formidable whisper. “Dedn’t Oi say Oi’d pay him for nawthen?” he answered still more audibly. “Well, take off your hat for good-bye.” “But Oi ain’t inside,” said the obstinate, if confused, Caleb. Jinny cracked her whip fiercely, and Methusalem joyously turned his nose for home. “Good night, Jinny. Thank’ee for reading Cousin Caroline’s letter,” Caleb called after the receding vehicle. XI