Thankful was silent. She was sitting by the window. The pair were alone together in the living-room now. Imogene and Jedediah and Georgie were in the kitchen making molasses candy.
“Well,” observed Captain Obed, “that's so, ain't it? Don't you agree with me?”
Still there was no answer and, turning, the captain was surprised to see his companion wiping her eyes with her handkerchief.
“For thunder sakes!” he exclaimed, in dismay. “What's happened now? Are you cryin'?”
Thankful tried to smile. “No,” she said. “I'm not cryin'. At least, I hadn't ought to cry. I ought to be awful happy and I am. Seein' those two go off together that way made me think that pretty soon they'd be goin' away for good. And I—I was a little lonesome, I guess.”
“Sho! sho! You mustn't be lonesome. They won't get married yet awhile, I cal'late.”
“No. I suppose not. But Emily will have to go next week back to her school, and she'll take Georgie with her. I'll miss 'em both terribly.”
“Yes, so you will. But you've got your brother now. He'll be some company.”
“Yes. But, unless he's changed more than I'm afraid he has, he'll be more responsibility than comfort. He means well enough, poor Jed, but he ain't what you'd call a capable person.”
“Well, Imogene's capable enough, and she'll be here.”