“I do hope Abby Pendexter ’ll make out to git up to see me this afternoon as usual,” she continued. “I know ’tain’t so easy for her to get up the hill as it used to be, but I do seem to want to see some o’ my own folks. I wish ’t I’d thought to send her word I expected her when Jabez Hooper went back after he came up here with the flour. I’d like to have had her come prepared to stop two or three days.”
A little chickadee perched on the window-sill outside and bobbed his head sideways to look in, and then pecked impatiently at the glass. The old woman laughed at him with childish pleasure and felt companioned; it was pleasant at that moment to see the life in even a bird’s bright eye.
“Sign of a stranger,” she said, as he whisked his wings and flew away in a hurry. “I must throw out some crumbs for ’em; it’s getting to be hard pickin’ for the stayin’-birds.” She looked past the trees of her little orchard now with seeing eyes, and followed the long forest slopes that led downward to the lowland country. She could see the two white steeples of Fairfield Village, and the map of fields and pastures along the valley beyond, and the great hills across the valley to the westward. The scattered houses looked like toys that had been scattered by children. She knew their lights by night, and watched the smoke of their chimneys by day. Far to the northward were higher mountains, and these were already white with snow. Winter was already in sight, but to-day the wind was in the south, and the snow seemed only part of a great picture.
“I do hope the cold ’ll keep off a while longer,” thought Mrs. Dallett. “I don’t know how I’m going to get along after the deep snow comes.”
The little dog suddenly waked, as if he had had a bad dream, and after giving a few anxious whines he began to bark outrageously. His mistress tried, as usual, to appeal to his better feelings.
“’Tain’t nobody, Tiger,” she said. “Can’t you have some patience? Maybe it’s some foolish boys that’s rangin’ about with their guns.” But Tiger kept on, and even took the trouble to waddle in on his short legs, barking all the way. He looked warningly at her, and then turned and ran out again. Then she saw him go hurrying down to the bars, as if it were an occasion of unusual interest.
“I guess somebody is comin’; he don’t act as if ’twere a vagrant kind o’ noise; must really be somebody in our lane.” And Mrs. Dallett smoothed her apron and gave an anxious housekeeper’s glance round the kitchen. None of her state visitors, the minister or the deacons, ever came in the morning. Country people are usually too busy to go visiting in the forenoons.
Presently two figures appeared where the road came out of the woods,—the two women already known to the story, but very surprising to Mrs. Dallett; the short, thin one was easily recognized as Abby Pendexter, and the taller, stout one was soon discovered to be Mrs. Hand. Their old friend’s heart was in a glow. As the guests approached they could see her pale face with its thin white hair framed under the close black silk handkerchief.
“There she is at her window smilin’ away!” exclaimed Mrs. Hand; but by the time they reached the doorstep she stood waiting to meet them.
“Why, you two dear creatur’s!” she said, with a beaming smile. “I don’t know when I’ve ever been so glad to see folks comin’. I had a kind of left-all-alone feelin’ this mornin’, an’ I didn’t even make bold to be certain o’ you, Abby, though it looked so pleasant. Come right in an’ set down. You’re all out o’ breath, ain’t you, Mis’ Hand?”