But Jessica was laughing as she had not laughed all day, and if the person driving along in front was objectionable to Ephraim it was evidently not the fact in her case.
“Oh! how glad I am!” she cried, and touched Buster to his swiftest gallop, while the sharpshooter grimaced and groaned:
“To have come back to this!”
CHAPTER X
AUNT SALLY
“Aunt Sally! Aunt Sally, wait for me!”
At the shrill cry and the clatter of Buster’s feet the crawling vehicle came to a standstill, and from under its canvas cover peered the smiling face of a hale, elderly woman, whose gray head was bare save for its abundant crown of curling hair. A straw Shaker bonnet, with green curtains, hung over her shoulders. Her print gown was of brilliant pink and her capacious apron of blue gingham. She was collarless and her sleeves were tucked above her round elbows, but she was clean, as if just from a laundry. Indeed, at that moment, her conveyance suggested such an institution on wheels, for well-strung clotheslines were taut against its sides, and from these fluttered freshly washed garments and scraps of cloth.
Aunt Sally saw Jessica’s eyes, fasten upon these articles and explained:
“Met a little water comin’ along and used it. Never know where you’ll be when you need water next–in Californy. How’s all?”
“Well, thank you. I’m so glad you’ve come.”