As soon as ever she could, she called on Mr. Robert for the moving van, and moved everything over to the new house. Settling was a joy, there were so many to help. All the Girl Scouts wanted to do something, and between them they outfitted Gwenny’s dresser (a walnut one that was put through the paint test and came out pretty as could be). The two carpet rugs were laid down in the living-room and the dining-room, and looked scarcely worn at all after Minnie had finished scrubbing, and Tommy and Myron had whipped them. The dining-room rug was dark blue, and how that table and those chairs did show up on it. The springs were broken down in the couch Minnie had picked out, but she turned it over and her young man nailed a new piece of webbing underneath, and in five minutes it was as good as new. Rosanna helped her as much as she could. When they were busy putting up the curtains Minnie said, “Rosanna dear, I think your Uncle Robert looks thin.”
“I think he does too,” said Rosanna, but remembering her promise would say no more.
“In love,” said Minnie, wisely nodding her head.
“Of course not,” said Rosanna. “He doesn’t like girls.”
“No, he doesn’t. Oh no!” said Minnie. “Of course he is in love! Do you mean to tell me, Rosanna, that you don’t know that he is in love with little Miss Hooker? Don’t tell me that!”
“I do tell you,” said Rosanna. “He doesn’t even like her, sweet as she is.”
“My good land, hear the child!” said Minnie, sitting down on the top step of the ladder, and letting the stiffly starched curtain trail to the floor.
“Do you remember the day she came to see you when you were sick after your accident, and your grandmother had said you could be a Girl Scout? Do you remember that your Uncle Robert was there when she came in? Well, believe me, Rosanna, your Uncle Robert fell in love with her that very day and hour and minute, and that’s the truth.”
“I wish it was,” sighed Rosanna. “I do wish it was, but he truly does not like her. I don’t know why.”
“Well, that beats me!” said Minnie, picking up the slack of the curtain again, and sadly hanging it. “I certainly am disappointed, for she is the sweetest little bit I ever hope to see, and it would be a mercy to see that good, kind, nice actin’ young man get the likes of her rather than some high nosed madam, who would look down on all his humble friends (as friends we are, Rosanna, as you may well believe).”