l
start back prompt. No, thank ye, Madam, I won't stop to set down, not
this time. Eunice, she's alone with Moses so helpless, an' I don't
believe half the shutters is tight nor nothin'. Seems if a body had
more on their hands than they could 'tend to times like these. Why
don't you move, Alfy? An' not stand stock starin' still, like an idjut?
If the wind sounds that way indoors, what you s'pose it is outside? An'
that child hain't got a thing on but that white ducky dress and maybe a
hat. She wasn't fixed proper for livin' in the country, though she does
become her clothes real likely. She's clear Maitland, Katy is, an' as
like Johnny was as two peas in a pod. I can't help lovin' her, try as I
will," concluded the widow, so exhausted by her own volubility that she
unconsciously sat down to rest herself, even though she had earlier
declined her hostess's offer of the spring-rocker by the sewing-table.
"A chair 'at looks comf'table enough to take a nap in its own self," as
she had once observed concerning it.

Thus enabled to edge in a remark of her own, Madam replied, with some
anxiety in her tones:

"The little Katharine has not been here. Not that I know. Has she,
Alfaretta?"

"I--I hain't seen her," faltered the maid, shivering as a fresh gust of
wind rattled the casement and a flash of lightning made everything
visible without. But she had closed her eyes against whatever might be
revealed and still delayed her mistress's direction:

"Go and look for Montgomery and see if he knows anything about
Katharine;" then, turning to Susanna, she added: "I am so glad that
they are going to be such friends. It's a good thing for a growing boy
to be associated with a young lady of his own--his own position in
life."

Susanna sniffed. She was democratic by profession and did not feel
called upon to explain that as a matter of fact there was nobody living
so appreciative as herself of "good family"--as represented in Marsden
by the Sturtevants and Maitlands. She merely ignored the remark,
starting from her seat as a terrible blast set the old Mansion trembling
on its stout beams and an east side shutter blew from its hinges.

"My suz! We've never had such a storm sence I can remember, an' Katy in
nothin' but ducks! Eunice has wrote right away, soon's she made up her
mind to keep her, to that stepmother o' hers to take an' buy the child
some good strong shoes an' dark warm dresses, fit for a girl to wear in
a country villa