"Come in—shut the door—how d'ye do?—Git out!" in her old familiar style.
Jasper had come with her to the door to carry the large valise, which was the only luggage she had brought; but Bertha bade them au revoir at the turn, saying she must hurry back to Mrs. Searle.
"Won't you come in and stay to supper, Jasper?" asked Miss Prue, as he set the valise down and prepared to depart.
"No, thank you, Cousin Prue, I've got some marketing to take home to mother that she sent for to Norcross."
"Well, come down this evening, then."
"Guess I will, thank you. I told Bertha I'd call around after her—she'd like to come too."
"Humph! very well," said his cousin, closing the door after him with more vim than was strictly necessary.
"How good it seems to be here once more!" exclaimed Sara, looking all about her. "You've had a new set of book-shelves put in, haven't you? That's all the change I see."
"Yes, and all you'll find in the whole village, likely, except in your own house—that you'd never know."
"Have you made acquaintance with Mrs. Searle and Bertha?" asked Sara, after Miss Prue had returned from trotting away with her wraps. "Oh, yes; she's a nice woman when she isn't under the dominion of her nerves, and she says she hasn't been so well in years as she is here; the air seems to agree with her, and she enjoys the quiet."