John Webb came to the door in response to his rap. He was quite
unchanged. Even the clothes he was wearing had the same look as those
he wore five years before.
"She ain't here," he said. "I seed 'er, with some books an' papers
under 'er arm, headed for the schoolhouse just after breakfast. I
reckon she's got some examples to work or compositions to write. They
are fixin' for a' exhibition of some sort for the last Friday in this
month. Dolly writes a big part o' the stuff the scholars read in
public, an' you bet some of it is tiptop. When she is in a good humor
she can compose a' article that will make a dog laugh. She is out o'
sorts to-day."
"Oh, is that so?" Saunders was moving toward the gate. "Has anything
gone wrong?"
"She is bothered about George," Webb answered. "It is first one thing
and then another with her. George's crop is a failure this year and he
is up to his neck in debt. On top o' that he wants to get married. You
know him an' Ida Benson are crazy to get tied, and it was to come off
in the fall, but George won't be able to buy a new shirt, to say
nothin' of a whole outfit. The boy is awful downhearted, and so is his
gal. Dolly busted out an' cried last night while George was a-talkin'.
She says Ida will be the makin' of the boy, but they can't stir a peg
as it is, for they hain't got a dollar betwixt 'em.
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