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Page 10
"Oh, not before afternoon."
Rebecca waited with all the patience she could muster. She kept
reassuring herself, telling herself that it was all natural, that
the other woman could not help it, but she made up her mind that if
Agnes did not return that afternoon she should be sent for.
When it was four o'clock she started up with resolution. She had
been furtively watching the onyx clock on the sitting-room mantel;
she had timed herself. She had said that if Agnes was not home by
that time she should demand that she be sent for. She rose and
stood before Mrs. Dent, who looked up coolly from her embroidery.
"I've waited just as long as I'm going to," she said. "I've come
'way from Michigan to see my own sister's daughter and take her
home with me. I've been here ever since yesterday--twenty-four
hours--and I haven't seen her. Now I'm going to. I want her sent
for."
Mrs. Dent folded her embroidery and rose.
"Well, I don't blame you," she said. "It is high time she came
home. I'll go right over and get her myself."
Rebecca heaved a sigh of relief. She hardly knew what she had
suspected or feared, but she knew that her position had been one of
antagonism if not accusation, and she was sensible of relief.
"I wish you would," she said gratefully, and went back to her
chair, while Mrs. Dent got her shawl and her little white head-tie.
"I wouldn't trouble you, but I do feel as if I couldn't wait any
longer to see her," she remarked apologetically.
"Oh, it ain't any trouble at all," said Mrs. Dent as she went out.
"I don't blame you; you have waited long enough."
Rebecca sat at the window watching breathlessly until Mrs. Dent
came stepping through the yard alone. She ran to the door and saw,
hardly noticing it this time, that the rose-bush was again
violently agitated, yet with no wind evident elsewhere.
"Where is she?" she cried.
Mrs. Dent laughed with stiff lips as she came up the steps over the
terrace. "Girls will be girls," said she. "She's gone with Addie
to Lincoln. Addie's got an uncle who's conductor on the train, and
lives there, and he got 'em passes, and they're goin' to stay to
Addie's Aunt Margaret's a few days. Mrs. Slocum said Agnes didn't
have time to come over and ask me before the train went, but she
took it on herself to say it would be all right, and--"
"Why hadn't she been over to tell you?" Rebecca was angry, though
not suspicious. She even saw no reason for her anger.
"Oh, she was putting up grapes. She was coming over just as soon
as she got the black off her hands. She heard I had company, and
her hands were a sight. She was holding them over sulphur
matches."
"You say she's going to stay a few days?" repeated Rebecca dazedly.
"Yes; till Thursday, Mrs. Slocum said."
"How far is Lincoln from here?"
"About fifty miles. It'll be a real treat to her. Mrs. Slocum's
sister is a real nice woman."
"It is goin' to make it pretty late about my goin' home."
"If you don't feel as if you could wait, I'll get her ready and
send her on just as soon as I can," Mrs. Dent said sweetly.
"I'm going to wait," said Rebecca grimly.
The two women sat down again, and Mrs. Dent took up her embroidery.
"Is there any sewing I can do for her?" Rebecca asked finally in a
desperate way. "If I can get her sewing along some--"
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