"Don't ye worry,
Mary," he comforted. "Alma ain't a-goin' ter do no kerrectin' of us."
"Nathan, I--I think that's 'co-rectin','" suggested the woman, a little
breathlessly.
The man turned and gazed at his wife without speaking. Then his jaw
fell.
"Well, by sugar, Mary!
You ain't a-goin' ter begin it, be ye?" he
demanded.
"Why, no, 'course not!" she laughed confusedly. "An'--an' Alma
wouldn't."
"'Course Alma wouldn't," echoed her husband. "Come, it's time ter shut
up the house."
The date of Alma's expected arrival was yet a week ahead.
As the days passed, there came a curious restlessness to the movements
of both Nathan and his wife. It was on the last night of that week of
waiting that Mrs. Kelsey spoke.
"Nathan," she began, with forced courage, "I've been over to Mis'
Hopkins's--an' asked her what special things 'twas that Katy set such
store by. I thought mebbe if we knew 'em beforehand, an' could do 'em,
an'--"
"That's jest what I asked Jim ter-day, Mary," cut in Nathan excitedly.
"Nathan, you didn't, now! Oh, I'm so glad! An' we'll do 'em, won't we?--
jest ter please her?"
"'Course we will!"
"Ye see it's four years since she was here, Nathan, what with her
teachin' summers."
"Sugar, now! Is it? It hain't seemed so long.
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