The challenge was written on a sheet of very thick, white note paper. It filled only the first page. Miss Sibby tore off the written page, folded it in its own folds, and put it in her pocket. Then she took the blank half of the sheet, folded it, also, and put it back into the envelope. Lastly, she wet the gummed edges of the envelope, and stuck them down, fastening the note much more securely than she had found it.
“Now, then, Roland will make a fool of hisself carrying of a blank note. And I will take myself off to Mondreer, soon as ever I can go, and I will show this here challenge to Mr. Force. And he, being a justice of the peace, will be bound to send out a warrant to ’rest up that bloody-minded young rip of a cousin of hizzen! Lor’! what a time there’ll be!”
CHAPTER XXIX
A YOUNG FIRE EATER
When the family and guests of Mondreer arose the next morning, they found the ground covered with snow, but the sky was clear and bright.
The squire and the rector went out on the front porch to look at the weather, just in time to see old Miss Sibby Bayard, in her brown riding skirt and beaver-cloth jacket and hood, ambling up to the house on her slow, but sure-footed, old, white mule.
Both gentlemen stepped down to the horse block to meet and help her to dismount.
“I reckon as you’re surprised to see me here, especially at this hour of the morning?” said the old lady, as she lumbered heavily down from her seat.