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Page 4
"I don't mind weather, sir", she said, with a little sniff of contempt
at the thought. "And my father usually prefers my attendance. I thank
you. Will you please stay with the sick gentleman?"
Mr. Norton bowed, smiled, and reseated himself near the invalid.
In the mean time, Mr. Dubois and his daughter went through the rain to
the stables; his wife replenished the tea-urn and began to rearrange
the table.
Mrs. McNab, during the scene that had thus unexpectedly occurred, had
been waddling from one part of the room to the other, exclaiming,
"The Lord be gude to us!" Her presence, however, seemed for the time
to be ignored.
When she heard the gentle movements made by Mrs. Dubois among the
dishes, her dream seemed suddenly to fade out of view. Seating herself
again at the table, she diligently pursued the task of finishing her
supper, yet ever and anon examining the prostrate form upon the floor.
"Peradventure he's a mon fra' the States. His claithes look pretty
nice. As a gen'al thing them people fra' the States hae plenty o'
plack in their pockets. What do you think, sir?"
"He is undoubtedly a gentleman from New England", said Mr. Norton.
CHAPTER II.
MRS. M'NAB.
Mrs. McNab was a native of Dumfries, Scotland, and had made her advent
in the Miramichi country about five years previous to the occurrences
just mentioned.
Having buried her husband, mother, and two children,--hoping that
change of scene might lighten the weight upon her spirits, she had
concluded to emigrate with some intimate acquaintances to the Province
of New Brunswick.
On first reaching the settlement, she had spent several weeks at the
Dubois House, where she set immediately at work to prove her
accomplishments, by assisting in making up dresses for Mrs. Dubois and
Ad�le.
She entertained them with accounts of her former life in
Scotland,--talking largely about her acquaintance with the family of
Lord Lindsay, in which she had served in the capacity of nurse. She
described the castle in which they resided, the furniture, the
servants, and the grand company; and, more than all, she knew or
pretended to know the traditions, legends, and ghost stories
connected, for many generations past, with the Lindsay race.
She talked untiringly of these matters to the neighbors, exciting
their interest and wonder by the new phases of life presented, and
furnishing food for the superstitious tendencies always rife in new
and ignorant settlements. In short, by these means, she won her way
gradually in the community, until she came to be the general factotum.
It was noticed, indeed, that in the annual round of her visits from
house to house, Mrs. McNab had a peculiar faculty of securing to
herself the various material comforts available, having an excellent
appetite and a genius for appropriating the warmest seat at the
fireplace and any other little luxury a-going. These things were,
however, overlooked, especially by the women of the region, on account
of her social qualities, she being an invaluable companion during the
long days and evenings when their husbands and sons were away, engaged
in lumbering or fishing. When the family with which she happened to be
sojourning were engaged in domestic occupations, Mrs. McNab,
established in some cosey corner, told her old wife stories and whiled
away the long and dismal wintry hours.
Of all the people among whom she moved, Ad�le Dubois least exercised
the grace of patience toward her.
On the return of Mr. Dubois and his daughter to the house, after
having seen the horses safely stowed away, he refreshed himself at the
tea-table and left the room to attend to necessary business. Mrs.
Dubois and Mrs. McNab went to fit up an apartment for the stranger.
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