“I’m so glad you came to-day. I’ve been wanting Aunt Susan so of late. Isn’t it a heavy snow for this late in the season?”
She rattled busily along to carry the impress of welcome, for the old man had not responded to her as his wife had done.
“Well, now,” said candid Nathan, “you don’t exactly give one th’ impression of pinin’ t’ see folks when you never come over at all.”
Elizabeth knew that though he regarded the broom with which he brushed at his boots with extra attention, he was listening closely for her answer.
“There’s John!” she cried, seeing her husband as he drove a bunch of calves into the lane. She hastened to tell her guest that her husband had been some miles to the west to attend a sale, and pretended to have forgotten Nathan’s awkward remark.
She was glad to see that John left Jake to turn the calves into the yards and came to the house at once, with cordiality shining out of every line of his face. He made Nathan Hornby so welcome that every sign of displeasure faded from Nathan’s countenance. He gave a hasty brush at his boots and came in to shake hands with Susan Hornby. He stirred the fire briskly, and remarked to Nathan:
“Ain’t that a dandy bunch of calves? I had a chance to get them at that Irishman’s sale—I forget his name—oh, yes, Tim—Tim—you know? I ought to know myself since I just signed a note to him. Averaged eighteen dollars a head—forty-three of ’em. With corn at thirty cents, they’ll turn quick money.”
The fire roared under his vigorous poking, and he applied himself to putting more coal in the stove without looking up.
Elizabeth Hunter’s face lost the happy expression with which she had been regarding him as he welcomed the old couple and stirred the fire, presumably for their benefit. He had been glad to see them: they had helped him over an awkward announcement. He had not told her he meant to get these cattle, and he had let her think that he meant to take her advice and not go into debt any more than he had already done.
John Hunter heard his wife’s low exclamation of surprise. He was glad it was over.