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114 the City, I shouldn't wonder. An' I've been jest honin' to see you ever sence thet night you come up with 'Bijah. I ain't had no chance to tell you how vexed I was we couldn't take you in; an' I been thinkin' ever sence how I guessed my daughter was tur'ble hasty with you; but 'Gusta Louise she's one that'll git so flustered she won't know where she's at."

"Don't think about that twice," Joan reassured her. "Of course she was upset when guests came so unexpectedly. It was too bad that we should have disturbed you at all."

"I guess you been havin' a better time out yonder than if you'd ha' stayed in Quimpaug," Mrs. Bassett ventured. "I've al'ays thought it must be real peaceful out there." She looked at Garth with bright, kindly eyes. "Seems to me," she proposed, "like I've jest got a notion I want this boy to go along up to my house with me an' make me a little visit. You ain't goin' right back so quick he couldn't stay a little spell, air you?"

"We've enough to do to keep us for a while," Elspeth told her. "It's ever so kind of you, Mrs. Bassett. We'll stop for him when we go."

So the two went off together up the bright,