__THE MAYFLOWER EDITION__ THE BEST STORIES OF SARAH ORNE JEWETT IN TWO VOLUMES VOLUME II __THE MAYFLOWER EDITION__ THE BEST STORIES OF SARAH ORNE JEWETT SELECTED AND ARRANGED WITH A PREFACE BY WILLA CATHER VOLUME II [Illustration: [Logo]] BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY =The Riverside Press Cambridge= 1925 COPYRIGHT, 1886, 1888, 1890, 1893, 1895, AND 1899, BY SARAH ORNE JEWETT COPYRIGHT, 1914, 1916, 1918, 1921, AND 1923 BY MARY R. JEWETT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED =The Riverside Press= CAMBRIDGE · MASSACHUSETTS PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. CONTENTS I. A WHITE HERON 1 II. THE FLIGHT OF BETSEY LANE 22 III. THE DULHAM LADIES 64 IV. GOING TO SHREWSBURY 90 V. THE ONLY ROSE 109 VI. MISS TEMPY’S WATCHERS 137 VII. MARTHA’S LADY 158 VIII. THE GUESTS OF MRS. TIMMS 193 IX. THE TOWN POOR 224 X. THE HILTONS’ HOLIDAY 248 XI. AUNT CYNTHY DALLETT 279 A WHITE HERON. I. The woods were already filled with shadows one June evening, just before eight o’clock, though a bright sunset still glimmered faintly among the trunks of the trees. A little girl was driving home her cow, a plodding, dilatory, provoking creature in her behavior, but a valued companion for all that. They were going away from the western light, and striking deep into the dark woods, but their feet were familiar with the path, and it was no matter whether their eyes could see it or not.