Jedediah stared at her.
“What—what,” he faltered. “Do you mean—Thankful, do you mean you're goin' to let me stay here for—for good?”
“Yes, of course I do. You don't think I'll let you get out of my sight again, do you? That is, unless you're real set on goin' gold-huntin'. I'm sure you shan't go cook on any whaler; I've got too much regard for sailors' digestions to let you do that.”
“Thankful, I—I'll work my hands off for you. I'll—”
“All right, all right. Now trot along and warm those hands or you won't have any left to work off; they'll be SHOOK off with the shivers. Come, Jed, I forgive you; after all, you're my brother, though you did run away and leave me.”
“Then—then you're glad I came back?”
“Glad!” Thankful shook her head with a tearful smile. “Glad!” she repeated. “I've been workin' heavens and earth to get you back ever since I got that pitiful letter of yours. You poor thing! You MUST have had a hard time of it. Well, you can tell me all about it by and by. Now you march into that kitchen.”
Another hour had passed before Mrs. Barnes reentered the living-room. There, to her astonishment, she found Emily awaiting her.
“Why, for goodness sakes!” cried Thankful. “What are you doin' here? I thought you'd gone to bed long ago.”
Emily's reply was given in an odd tone. She did not look at her cousin when she spoke.