dors, the great trees met in a
quivery archway overhead, the meadow lands they passed were richly
green; Nancy's failing spirits began to soar! She threw a little smile
toward the old man.

"I've never been in Freedom before--though I'm a Leavitt," she ventured.

Her words had the desired effect. The man straightened with interest.

"Wal, bless me, are ye one o' Miss Sabriny's folks? And a-goin' to
Happy House when ye ain't ever seen it?"

Nancy nodded. "I'm Anne Leavitt," she answered carefully. "And I have
never seen my Aunt Sabrina. So I have come up from college for a
little visit. And I think _everything_ is lovely," she finished,
drawing a long breath, "though, goodness knows, I thought I'd never get
here!"

She was uncomfortably conscious that the old man was regarding her with
open concern.

"Funny, no one ain't heard a word about it! So ye're Miss Sabriny's
great-niece and a-comin' to Happy House from your school fer a visit!"

"Why, yes, why not?"

"Wal, I was jes' thinkin' you'd never _seen_ Happy House. And I guess
most folks in Freedom's forgotten Miss Sabriny hed any folks
much--count of the trouble!"

"Oh, _what_ trouble, please, Mr. Webb?"

The old man shook his reins vigorously against the horses' backs.

"Webb, you're an old fool--an old, dodderin' fool! Of course this here
trouble was a long spell ago, Miss, and don't belong to Leavitts young
like you. I s'pose it want much, anyways, and I guess Miss Sabriny
herself's forgotten it else you wouldn't be a comin' to Happy House!
I'm an old man, missy, and thar ain't been much in Freedom as I don't
know about, but an old un'd ought 'a know 'nough to keep his tongue in
his head. Only--you come to Webb if anything bothers you and you
needn't call me _Mr_. Webb, either, for though I'm one of Freedom's
leadin' cit-zuns and they'd never be a Memorial Day or any kind of
Fourth of July doin's in Freedom without _me_--nobody calls me Mister
Webb and you jus' come to me----"

Nancy, forgetful now of the pleasant things about her, frowned.

"You're very nice to me, Webb, and I'm glad to have made a friend so
soon! I think the trouble _has_ been forgotten. Anyway, I'm only
going to stay a little while."

"And a good thing it'll be fur Miss Milly, too."

"Miss Milly----" asked Nancy.

"It ain't no easy life fur her livin' with Miss Sabriny holdin' the
sword of wrath over her poor head, and there's lots of folks think Miss
Milly'd be