CHAPTER X
TOLD BY THE FIRE
Before flocking swallows and cool nights told that September had come in a-tiptoe, the Herb Witch’s house had been restored, and christened “Robin Hood’s Inn,” and even the thought of the poor-farm banished from the old woman’s mind.
It had been a very easy matter rearranging the house, which had a solid frame; new floors, shingles, window-glass, and pretty wall-papers, chosen by Miss Letty and Anne, working a wonderful transformation within, while a week’s well-directed efforts of a couple of men restored the garden to its quaintness without spoiling it.
Mrs. Carr herself was much more difficult to handle, so anxious was she not to accept anything for which she could not render service in return. Miss Jule and Mr. Hugh had planned very wisely, but, after all, it was Anne herself who broke through the crust of pride that held the old woman so close in its grip.
The day after the thunder-storm, when Anne had gone with Mr. Hugh to bring Jill home, that contrary young beagle had absolutely declined to go with her mistress, and, after struggling, barking, and growling in puppy rage, slipped her head through her collar, jumped from Anne’s arms, and ran up and hid in the attic that was littered with rubbish and drying herbs.
Such a strong attachment from a capricious little animal like Jill argued well for Mrs. Carr’s influence over dogs, as did the nicely healed wounds made by the barbed wire for her medical skill and care, and a new idea came to both Mr. Hugh and Miss Jule. They frequently had dogs, both young and old, who needed some special attention or petting that it was impossible to give them in the kennels, or in the little house that stood apart and was called the hospital. One of the old orchards could be fenced, and a small building put in the corner near by Robin Hood’s Inn, the whole to be used as a sort of dog’s excursion resort, for those who needed a change, Mrs. Carr being in charge of it.
Anne begged leave to tell the news to the old woman. At first Mrs. Carr was about to exclaim in delight at the prospect of so much dog companionship, then her habitual distrust seemed about to settle as she said, “I only hopes it’s for their own good and not mine they ha’ planned it; I wish I cauld be main sure.”
Then at last Anne rose up with almost a stamp of impatience, and folding her hands before her, looked the questioner straight in the face, saying: “Mrs. Carr, I’m disappointed in you, you are just as pernickerty as you can be, and stingy beside. Perhaps you don’t know what ‘pernickerty’ means, because it’s one of Baldy’s words for being show-off particular, like the woman father tells about, who was always so dreadfully good. When she went to heaven they gave her an extra beautiful gold crown to wear, with a soft lining, so that it couldn’t hurt, but she took it off and looked it all over, and said, ‘I can do with a cheaper one; beside, linings are heating!’ And you are stingy because you won’t let any of us have the pleasure of thinking we are making you comfortable;” so saying, Anne, with a red spot in the middle of each cheek, walked out of the cottage, mounted Fox, and rode away, without looking behind her.
Miss Jule, who a few moments later drew up from the opposite direction expecting to meet Mr. Hugh and advise with him about the new scheme, was astonished to find that Anne had gone, and to see Mrs. Carr crouching in her arm-chair with her face in her apron.