Nobody

"I don't care. I cannot wait here. It would be a great deal better tohave the drive and see the other place. Yes, we will go and visit her.Get horses, George, please! Quick. This is terrible."

"Will you ask for their hospitality?"

"Yes, of course. They would be delighted. That is just what the bettersort of country people like, to have somebody come and see them. Makehaste, George."

With a queer little smile on his face, Mr. Lenox however did as he wasdesired. A waggon was procured without very much delay, in which theycould be driven to Shampuashuh.

It was a very warm day, and the travellers had just the height of it.Hot sunbeams poured down upon them; the level, shadeless countrythrough which lay their way, showed as little as it could of theattractive features which really belonged to it. The lady declaredherself exceeded by the heat and dust; the gentleman opined they mightas well have stayed in Independence, where they were. Between two andthree o'clock they entered the long green street of Shampuashuh. Thesunbeams seemed tempered there, but it was only a mental effectproduced by the quiet beauty and airy space of the village avenue, andthe shade of great elms which fell so frequently upon the wayside grass.

"What a sweet place!" cried the lady.

"Comfortable-looking houses," suggested the gentleman.

"It seems cooler here," the lady went on.

"It is getting to a cooler time of day."

"Why, no, George! Three o'clock is just the crown of the heat. Don't itlook as if nobody ever did anything here? There's no stir at all."

"My eyes see different tokens; they are more versed in business thanyours are – naturally."

"What do your eyes see?" – a little impatiently.

"You may notice that nothing is out of order. There is no bit of fenceout of repair; and never a gate hanging upon its hinges. There is nocarelessness. Do you observe the neatness of this broad street?"

"What should make it unneat? with so few travellers?"

"Ground is the last thing to keep itself in order. I notice, too, theneat stacks of wood in the wood-sheds. And in the fields we havepassed, the work is all done, up to the minute; nothing hanging by theeyelids. The houses are full of windows, and all of them shiningbright."

"You might be a newspaper reporter, George! Is this the house we arecoming to? It is quite a large house; quite respectable."

"Did you think that little girl had come out of any but a respectablehouse?"

"Pshaw, George! you know what I mean. They are very poor and very plainpeople. I suppose we might go straight in?"

They dismissed their vehicle, so burning their ships, and knocked atthe front door. A moment after it was opened by Charity. Her tallfigure was arrayed in a homely print gown, of no particular fashion; alittle shawl was over her shoulders, notwithstanding the heat, and onher head a sun-bonnet.

"Does Miss Lothrop live here?"

"Three of us," said Charity, confronting the pair with a doubtful face.

"Is Miss Lois at home?"

"She's as near as possible not," said the door-keeper; "but I guess sheis. You may come in, and I'll see."

She opened a door in the hall which led to a room on the north side ofit, corresponding to Mrs. Barclay's on the south; and there she leftthem. It was large and pleasant and cool, if it was also very plain; and Mrs. Lenox sank into a rocking-chair, repeating to herself that itwas 'very respectable.' On a table at one side lay a few books, whichdrew Mr. Lenox's curiosity.

"Ruskin's 'Modern Painters'!" he exclaimed, looking at his wife.

"Selections, I suppose."

"No, this is Vol. 5. And the next is Thiers' 'Consulate and Empire'!"

"Translation."

"No. Original. And 'the Old Red Sandstone.'"

"What's that?"

"Hugh Miller."

"Who's Hugh Miller?"

"He is, or was, a gentleman whom you would not admit to your society.

He began life as a Scotch mason."

Meanwhile, Charity, going back to the living-room of the family, foundthere Lois busied in arraying old Mrs. Armadale for some sort ofexcursion; putting a light shawl about her, and drawing a whitesun-bonnet over her cap. Lois herself was in an old nankeen dress witha cape, and had her hat on.

"There's some folks that want you, Lois," her sister announced.

"Want me!" said Lois. "Who is it? why didn't you tell them we were justgoing out?"

"I don't usually say things without I know that it's so," responded

Charity. "Maybe we're going to be hindered."

"We must not be hindered," returned Lois. "Grandmother is ready, and

Mrs. Barclay is ready, and the cart is here. We must go, whoever comes.

You get mother into the cart, and the baskets and everything, and I'll be as quick as I can."

So Lois went into the parlour. A great surprise came over her when shesaw who was there, and with the surprise a slight feeling of amusement; along with some other feeling, she could not have told what, which puther gently upon her mettle. She received her visitors frankly andpleasantly, and also with a calm ease which at the moment was superiorto their own. So she heard their explanation of what had befallen them, and of their resolution to visit her; and a slight account of theirdrive from Independence; all which Mrs. Lenox gave with more prolixitythan she had intended or previously thought necessary.

"And now," said Lois, "I will invite you to another drive. We are justgoing down to the Sound, to smell the salt air and get cooled off. Weshall have supper down there before we come home. I do not think Icould give you anything pleasanter, if I had the choice; but it happensthat all is arranged for this. Do come with us; it will be a varietyfor you, at least."

The lady and gentleman looked at each other.

"It's so hot!" objected the former.

"It will be cooler every minute now," said Lois.

"We ought to take the train – when it comes along – "

"You cannot tell when that will be," said Mr. Lenox. "You would find itvery tedious waiting at the station. We might take the night train.That will pass about ten o'clock, or should."

"But we should be in your way, I am afraid," Mrs. Lenox went on, turning to Lois. "You are not prepared for two more in your party."