"
It was almost two o'clock when loud voices and the crunch of heavy teams
told that the road-breakers had come. All morning the Nortons had been
hoping against hope that the fateful hour would pass, and the road be
still left in unbroken whiteness. Someone, however, had known his duty
too well--and had done it.
"I set ter work first thing on this road," said the man triumphantly to
Ella as he stood, shovel in hand, at the door. "The parson's right
behind, an' there's a lot more behind him. Gorry! I was afraid I
wouldn't git here in time, but the fun'ral wan't till two, was it?"
Ella's dry lips refused to move. She shook her head.
"There's a mistake," she said faintly. "There ain't no fun'ral. Aunt
Abby's better."
The man stared, then he whistled softly.
"Gorry!" he muttered, as he turned away.
If Jim and Ella had supposed that they could keep their aunt from
attending her own "funeral"--as Herrick persisted in calling it--they
soon found their mistake. Mrs. Darling heard the bells of the first
arrival.
"I guess mebbe I'll git up an' set up a spell," she announced calmly to
Ella. "I'll have my wrapper an' my slippers, an' I'll set in the big
chair out in the settin'-room. That's Parson Gerry's voice, an' I want
ter see him.
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