Lucy, as sheadvanced to the blazing logs, was
astonished to see how wet her coat hadbecome. The hour seemed a restless, uncertain
one for Lucy.
It swooped downthe chimney with hollow
roar.
She wouldpersuade Denmeade to go or send someone at
once. They whistled and whooped, creating soundswhich clapped back in strange echo
from the wall.
This girl Sadie had refused to marry
EddDenmeade.
It was the mother who first recovered from the
spell.
Honest I couldnt see an inch in front of
mynose.
Infact, their mouths were about on a level with
their tin plates.
Mary was bent over, so thatshe could catch the
light on a book.
Peeringinto the shadow, she at last espied Lucy. He
was thin, grey, withcadaverous cheeks, a pointed chin bristling with stubby beard.
Evidently, however, something in the fireattracted them. Torrents of rain fell,
drowning all other sounds. Lucy, take the candy away from the children an put it
where they cantreach it, she called. Mary seemed reluctant to leave Lucy, but Dan
rode off down thelane, mightily unconcerned.
The children gravitated to Lucy, who essayed toplay
with them on the windy porch. When he found Lucywas firm he attempted to compromise,
and failing of that, he gave inungraciously. They seemed so still, so calm, so white
and sweet. Buttheyre loaded heavy, an Edd will spare the burros before himself. She
set the lamp onthe high jutting shelf of the fire-place. But she accomplished the
taskof a dozen letters, and an enlarging and copying of her notes. No doubt Sam had
been approaching another invitation.
Lucy now remembered seeing the ladderthat led from
the middle porch to a wide hole in the ceiling.
Above the sound of the wind she heard apatter of
rain on the roof. Aw, itd be cold inwinter, an I never have enough covers nohow.