Rachel had read this aloud, but her voice ended in a sob instead of in the boy’s name. Hazelton brushed the back of his hand across his eyes, and the lawyer looked intently out the window. For a moment there was a silence that could be felt, then Hazelton stepped to the table and fumbled noisily with the papers.
“Ladies, I withdraw my offer,” he announced. “I can’t afford to buy this house--I can’t possibly afford it--it’s too expensive.” And without another word he left the room, motioning the lawyer to follow.
The sisters looked into each other’s eyes and drew a long, sobbing breath.
“Rachel, is it true?”
“Oh, Tabitha! Let’s--let’s go out under the apple-trees and--just know that they are there!”
And hand in hand they went.
The End