d Kenelm shortly.

Captain Obed thought it time to repeat his first question.

"Where's Miss Emily?" he asked.

"She's in the livin'-room."

"Is--is anybody with her?"

Imogene nodded. "Um-hum," she said gleefully, "he's there, too."

"Who?" The captain and Thankful spoke in concert.

"Mr. John Kendrick. I let him in and I didn't tell her who it was at
all. She didn't know till she went in herself and found him. Then I
came right out and shut the door. Oh," with another nod, "I've got some
sense, even if I did come from the Orphans' Home."

Captain Obed and Thankful looked at each other.

"Then he did come here," exclaimed Thankful.

"Course he did. I told you he wa'n't quite a fool. Been there some time,
has he?"

"Yes. Shall I tell 'em you've come? I'll knock first."

"No, no." Thankful's reply was emphatic. "Where's the rest of the
folks?" she asked.

"Georgie and Mr. Cahoon--your brother, I mean--have gone up to the
village with the other one, the Cobb man."

"What have they gone to the village for?"

"To help Mr. Cobb get his horse and team at Chris Badger's. He's gone,
you know."

"Who's gone?"

"Why, the Cobb one. He's gone home again. I tried to get him to stay for
dinner; so did Miss Emily. We knew you'd want him to. But he wouldn't
stay. Said he was goin' home. Seemed to me he wanted to get out of the
house quick as ever he could. He gave Georgie a dollar for Christmas."

"WHAT!" Captain Obed leaned against the corner of the house. "A dollar!"
he groaned. "Sol Cobb gave somebody a dollar for Christmas! Don't pinch
me, anybody; I don't want to wake up. Let me enjoy my dream long as I
can. Thankful, did you say Sol looked sick?"

"I said he looked pretty nearly sick when he came down this mornin'."

"I believe it. It must have been a mighty serious attack. Did Georgie
take the dollar with him?"

"No. He left it with Miss Emily."

"That's a mercy. The outdoor air may make Sol feel more rational and
soon's he came to his senses, he'd want that dollar back. Tut! tut! tut!
Don't talk to ME! I shall believe in ghosts pretty soon."

Thankful looked troubled and annoyed.

"I'm awful sorry he went," she said. "The poor old thing! He was so
miserable I did pity him. I must drive over and see him tomorrow, sure.
But what makes me feel the worst," she added, "is to think of Jedediah's
cruisin' up to the village dressed in the rags he was wearin'. He looked
like--like somethin' the cat brought