This was all he said, but it was enough to make Marion abandon her book and betake herself to melancholy musings leaning over the gate. The prospect was not a very lively one. There was nothing to see but the horse-barn across the road, where old James was impartially dividing a piece of meat among his army of cats; the mule-pasture with the road winding through it which led to the saw-mill; and beyond, unlimited woods clothing the sides of the valley. A mule-wagon heavily loaded with bark was coming up the road, another load was being weighed on the scales opposite the store, and Mr. Overbeck, in his shirt-sleeves, was attending to the process. There was nobody else in sight. Marion leaned on the gate and looked up and down the street.
"Oh dear!" she sighed. "I used to think it was stupid and tiresome at grandfather's, but it is ten times worse here. I might have known better than to interfere with Aunt Eugenia's snuff-box. Of course, with such an old lady, how ridiculous it was! Oh dear! I thought I was going to have so much influence here and do so much good, and now I wish I had not come. I never can make them respect me after this, and there is no use in trying. There's Stanley, now. I don't believe she cares one bit about having an influence or setting an example, and she can do just what she pleases. She has broken Bessy of saying 'Hallo!' and Eiley of drawling and saying 'Yas-m,' and the boys think there is nobody like her. I believe it is because she has been to boarding-school so much. I wish I could go, but I never can have half a chance."
She looked up as she spoke, and saw Gertrude Van Alstine's carriage coming over the hill.
[CHAPTER XV.]
MRS. GERTRUDE.
GERTRUDE had not been at the valley for a visit since Marion's arrival, notwithstanding her professed intention to visit her immediately. There had been talk of an expedition to Rock Bottom, but it had never come to anything.
Marion had taken a fancy to Gerty on the only occasion of their meeting, and was very glad to see her again. She went into the house to announce the arrival.
The three elder ladies were sitting together in council over some clothes for an unprovided twin among the factory-hands, and Stanley and Bessy were practicing a tremendously classical and scientific duet on the piano, Bessy having arrived at the particular stage of her musical education when she looked upon tunes with great contempt.
"Gerty is coming, mother," said Marion. "I saw the carriage coming over the hill."
The three ladies looked at each other, and Marion thought there was a little dismay in their glances.