," he replied, then he laughed, and the gold in his few
remaining teeth glistened. Cackling and shuffling along beside Nancy, he
muttered--his mind again on old Becky:

"Her--as was--or her as is! Maybe she ain't a _was_--'pears like she
can't be an _is_." Then he grew calmer and faced Nancy. "Stay away from
Thunder, chile. 'Tain't safe, Thunder ain't--only fer hants."

"I'll stay away, Uncle Jed," Nancy promised fervently, and tried to
laugh off the foolish, superstitious fear that the old man's words had
aroused.

Jed went off muttering--he was strangely disturbed.

As the first impression of her adventure wore off Nancy was surprised to
find that a new fear and restlessness oppressed her. It was like the
after effects of a blow that had stunned her.

She slept badly--a terrific electric storm swept through The Gap and
there seemed, to the frightened girl in the west chamber, noises never
heard before. Creaking steps in the hall; calls in the wind and sharp
summons as the branches of the trees lashed the windows and the blazing
lightning shattered the darkness with blinding flashes.

Nancy crept downstairs the next morning pale and shaken. She rallied,
however, when she saw Doris.

Doris was greatly affected by electric storms and was lying on a couch
by the hearth. Doctor Martin was sitting beside her, and the little
breakfast tray, laid for the three, was drawn close.

They ate the meal quietly, and then Martin took up a book to read aloud
while Nancy went to her loom.

She huddled over it--there was no other word to describe her crouching,
lax attitude; her face was drawn and haggard. Doris watched her; she was
not listening to Martin. Suddenly she felt a kind of shock as she
realized that she was thinking of Nancy as an old woman!

As the spring holds all the promise of autumn in its delicate shading,
so youth often depicts the time on ahead when line and colour will take
on the aspect of age.

It was startling. Doris almost cried aloud. Nancy old! Nancy lean and
shrivelled with her pretty back bent to--the burden of life!

Then Doris laughed nervously, and Martin started. The book he was
reading from was no laughing matter.

"Forgive me, David--I was not listening; I was--planning. You know how
agile a mind can be after--a bad headache?" This was not convincing to
Martin and he scowled.

"What were you planning?" he asked, and Nancy at her wheel turned her
head.

"Nancy's winter in town. She mu