The display was magnificent, but I did not see the beauty in it that I saw when I was a boy. Then I was not frightened. Now each summer the storms seem to be worse and more awe-inspiring, and to tell the truth, so many of our friends have suffered loss from thunder storms that I would be perfectly willing to forego them in future. The storm departed suddenly, even as it had come, and when the rumbling grew fainter Minerva rose to her feet. A call came to us from the road. We looked up and saw James, also soaked to the skin, sitting in Bert’s buggy. At the sound of his voice Minerva gave a glad cry and started to run to him. He made a trumpet of his hands and said, “Mrs. Vernon, you and Mr. Vernon drive and Minerva and me’ll walk.” I considered a minute and then thinking that Ethel ran a greater risk of catching cold if she rode than if she walked, I shook my head and told Minerva to run along. We took one or two steps in the sloppy moss and our shoes spurted water. “Let’s go barefoot,” said I. “It will be much more comfortable.” We took off our shoes and stockings, and for the first time in many years we walked the country barefoot. Perhaps it was Ethel’s first experience of the joy. To judge from her face it was. But we picked out soft places and by the time we reached the house we were already somewhat dried, nor did we get any ill effects. “Ethel,” said I, “what was that white thing Minerva brought to sew on?” “A wedding veil,” said Ethel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVI WHEN THE LAW IS ON. ETHEL was out in the little orchard south of the house with Minerva, looking for “queen’s lace.” She had two purposes in mind. To teach Minerva something more of nature and to make a conventionalized design of the ground plan of the flower for use in her everlasting embroidery. “Mis. Vernon.” “What is it, Minerva?” “Don’t the apples we have in the city come from the country?” “Why, yes,” said Ethel. She told me of the conversation later, I being at the time fishing for trout (in all innocence) with James (who knew the law). “Well, then, how come that apples here is so little and city apples is so big?” “Why,” said Ethel, “these haven’t grown yet.” “Do they grow on the tree?” said Minerva. “Why, certainly. You surely didn’t suppose that they grew after they were picked.” “But the stems is so little that I wouldn’t think they’d hold apples like I see in the grocery stores.” “Why, but the stems grow, too.”