“Yes, it’s only a step,” said she.
“Five or six miles, I should say,” ventured the colonel.
“Oh, no, only four. Have you heard about my boy Joe?”
The colonel admitted that he had heard of his arrest.
“I’ve come over to ask your advice on what to do,” said she, “and I hope it won’t bother you much, Colonel Price. Joe and me we haven’t got a friend in this world!”
“I will consider it a duty and a pleasure to assist the boy 176 in any way I can,” said the colonel in perfunctory form. “But first come in, have some breakfast, and then we’ll talk it over. I’ll have to apologize for Miss Price. I’m afraid she’s abed yet,” said he, opening the door, showing his visitor into the parlor.
“I’m awful early,” said Mrs. Newbolt hesitating at the door. “It’s shameful to come around disturbin’ folks at this hour. But when a body’s in trouble, Colonel Price, time seems long.”
“It’s the same with all of us,” said he. “But Miss Price will be down presently. I think I hear her now. Just step in, ma’am.”
She looked deprecatingly at her dusty shoes, standing there in the parlor door, her skirts gathered back from them.
“If I could wipe some of this dust off,” said she.