Murmurs and exclamations, and a woman's voice rumbling out a tale that should never have been told.
"Would you've believed it! And she so sweet and sly of tongue."
"Still waters run deep. You can't trust them quiet kind. I had it direct from Jem Bowers. You know Jem. He was right along when it happened. They were shut in that schoolhouse for two whole days, and the door locked and bolted. The Bull himself asked Jem to go for the missionary, and everyone knows Jem was one of the witnesses at the Langdon wedding. Said she looked just like a little scared bird, and her eyes were all screwed up with crying, so I guess doin' wrong did bring her no happiness."
"Well, I'd never have believed it if you hadn't told me. I'm going to hustle right off now. I want to stop and see Mrs. Durkin on my way. She couldn't get off to come, as they've had the mumps up to their house, and I promised to let her know, and I'll bet her tongue's hangin' out waitin'."
"Well, don't say I said it."
"I won't. I'll say I got it from—from—I'll not name the party. Get ap, Gate! My, that mare's smart."
"I like geldings for driving. They aren't so quick, but they're dependable and strong. Good-by. Will you be at the box social?"
"Sure, what's it for?"
"Oh, them sick folks in the east. Did you hear that that plague sickness they got in the States has sneaked across to Canada, and everybody's scared nearly to death. They've got it awful out in Toronto and Montreal."