city as long as possible, and while I was wondering what I could
do to get back, Mrs. Pettigrew passed with five of the children in the
buggy and asked if I knew there was a telegram for me at the station.
I told her I did not, and my heart got right where hearts always get
when telegrams are mentioned, and in the twinkling of an eye Skylark's
bridle was on and I on Skylark, and we raced like mad to town.

On the way I was thinking all the awful things that telegrams start one
to thinking, and I remembered it was just eleven days since I had sent
the letter to Billy, who had, of course, gotten it by this time, and,
not realizing how fast I was going, I was at the station before it
seemed possible to get there, and so out of breath I could not speak.
I slipped off the horse and held out my hand to Mr. Pepper for the
telegram, and when he handed me the yellow envelope I slid down on a
bench and held it as if it were a death-warrant, and not for some time
could I open it. I was positive it was about Mother, who wasn't very
well when she last wrote, and everything I had ever done that I ought
not to have done, and everything I had left undone which I should have
done, walked right up in front of me and clutched me by the throat, and
I had to shut my eyes to keep my head steady. I had inside the same
sinky feeling I felt the first time I went to Europe, on the first day
out.

Mr. Pepper was looking at me, and so were several other people who
happened to be standing around, so I tried to get a grip on, and after
awhile I opened the envelope; but at first I couldn't see the words on
it. Finally I took them in after three times reading them over, and at
last I understood.

Cut it out. You are engaged to me. Sailing to-morrow. See you
September fifteenth.--BILLY.

CHAPTER XXVIII

There never was a sinner saved by grace who so wanted to make a noise
as I wanted to make one when I got into my head what had happened. The
relief from fear and the joyfulness of knowing I had been pulled out of
another ditch made me dizzy for a moment, and down went my elbows into
my lap and down my face into my hands, and not until Mr. Pepper said
something to me did I lift my head and get up. Then I threw my
riding-crop in the air, tossed up the Pepper baby, danced around with
him, and, suddenly seeing all present were watching me, and knowing
they felt they had a right to hear what was in the telegram without
waiting for Mr. P