Billy scarcely knew when he reached the road. His light feet barely
touched the soft way, so swiftly he flew. He vaulted the fence and burst
into the house.
"Aunt Margaret! Uncle Wesley!" he screamed. "Listen! Listen! She's
playing it! Elnora's playing her violin at home! And Aunt Kate is
dancing like anything before the arbour! I saw her in the moonlight! I
ran down! Oh, Aunt Margaret!"
Billy fled sobbing to Margaret's breast.
"Why Billy!" she chided. "Don't cry, you little dunce! That's what we've
all prayed for these many years; but you must be mistaken about Kate. I
can't believe it."
Billy lifted his head. "Well, you just have to!" he said. "When I say
I saw anything, Uncle Wesley knows I did. The city man was dancing with
her. They danced together and Elnora laughed. But it didn't look funny
to me; I was scared."
"Who was it said 'wonders never cease,'" asked Wesley. "You mark my
word, once you get Kate Comstock started, you can't stop her. There's
a wagon load of penned-up force in her. Dancing in the moonlight! Well,
I'll be hanged!"
Billy was at his side instantly. "Whoever does it will have to hang me,
too," he cried.
Sinton threw his arm around Billy and drew him closely. "Tell us all
about it, son," he said. Billy told. "And when Elnora just stopped
a breath, 'Can't you play some of the old things I knew when I was a
girl?' said her ma. Then Elnora began to do a thing that made you
want to whirl round and round, and quicker 'an scat there was her ma
a-whirling.
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