The sheep vanished behind a wall, and Lucy began to put fresh food on the table. Mrs. Railton hung a kettle on a hook above the fire, and then turned with a start as a girl came into the porch.
"Miss Osborn!" she exclaimed.
Grace advanced calmly, although there was some color in her face, because she knew the others were surprised that she had come.
"Is Mr. Hayes here?" she asked.
"Mayhappen he's at the pens," Lucy replied. "I thought I heard his car."
"Then I missed him at the cross-roads," said Grace. "I was going to
Allerby, and my father asked me to give him a note when he stopped at
Lawson's." She hesitated, and then resumed impulsively: "Perhaps I
oughtn't to have come on; but I wanted to do so."
They knew what she meant, but nobody answered, and Grace sat down on a bench by the table.
"Will you give the note to Mr. Hayes? Has Kit Askew brought the
Swinset sheep?"
"He's coming now," said Lucy, picking up the note, and Grace's eyes sparkled.
"I knew he would bring them; I told him he must."