The Carter Girls' Mysterious Neighbors

race is why some days must be dark and dreary and wh

that made the blood tingle in one's veins, followed by warmer days and then cold bracing nights when a fire in the great chimney of

ming home was happy, too. The train reached Grantly by half-past three, the pleasantest time in an autumn afternoon, and the girls would loiter along the road, stopping to eat wild grapes or to crack walnuts or maybe to get some persimmo

daughter. Suitable companions are not always to be found in rural communities and the coming of the C

d, "and even if Billy fancies himself to be in love with her it will

king to it. Eh, Margaret? I remember you had your hair in a plait and wore quite short skirts when I began to scheme how be

accepting the hug with a smile. "Lucy is so quick and clever, no o

although of course not robust like one beautiful lady I know." Mr. Sutton admired his wife so much that the flesh she w

d Mrs. Sutton who was all energy and industry. "She is

hate to be her

farmer and that meant eternal vigilance on her part, as the success of a farm depends so much on the management of women. Next she was the mother of two healthy, normal children who must be trained in the way they should go. After that she was an important member of a community where her progressive spirit was needed and appreciated. Her home, Preston, was where the Ladies' Aid met and worked and kept the little church out of debt; there was hea

hine all the time and in the natural course of events October days must shorten into November days and they in turn into December, with nights growing longer and longer and days shorter and shorter and

er I get

y early can

curled up in a little ball, having gone to bed without quite enough cover. It had turned cold and damp dur

o-day," sighed Nan, peering out of t

curling herself, "and I believe I left my rubbers at school that tim

ve to borr

ot she had tentatively poked out of bed. "I wis

d, according to Chloe. There was a small stove in the younger girls' ro

eluctant legs came through the trap-door of her attic room and slowly down the chicken steps

with her because of her tardiness. "The rain done leaked

ng around the kitchen like a demented hen trying to scratch up a b

haids in winter time? They do say they wool has deeper roots than what white folks'

Chloe. "If it leaked on your head why didn't you move your be

tupid an' looks like I cou

ttered Helen. "Please set t

e dining-room, "you'll have to lend m

ve

pleas

stretch my rubber

! Your feet are b

tainly won't lend them to

Douglas, hurrying to breakfast.

o dispute about on such a morning. For my part, I wish my feet were a qua

ur room last ni

horused Helen

I ain't a-keer

oaked up with leak

Louise should have had the roof m

o to bed with our umbre

s she handed the certainly not overdone biscuit.

and rubbers and dripping umbrellas. Helen's rubbers were a bit too

tcher when I am as old as you are my feet will be smaller," said Lucy as

h of red clay that was the consistency of molasses candy about to be pulled. Nan clambered up an embankment,

in!" cried Nan.

rough fudge?" and poor Lucy gave a wail

Lucy with an agonized count

stu

I'll get stuck, too! Wh

g in deeper and deeper. Helen's rubbers were almost submerged and there seemed to

clutched it and with a great pull and a sudden lurch which sent Nan backwards into the blackb

re, was swollen beyond recognition, but one stepping-stone obligingly projected above water and with a mighty leap they were over. The accommodating accommodation t

ir breath when Billy and Mag

in the seat by Nan, which Lucy had tactfully vacated, sharing the on

all," laughed Nan, recoun

r see such sights?" cried Lucy. "Oh, He

nce rail. I heard a terrible sough but didn't realize what

ig. Their coming off proves the

f too, then," teased Nan. "At one

ip pocket and proceeded to wipe off the girls' sh

hree flies inc

y were tired of

went with a s

to the door of

nt with a merr

e to a tub of

r stopped

nged ri

noses and their p

y stuck, and st

cussed their

nob

reenbot

e a darn for t

een put out of commission for the winter. Mag and I had to foot it over the hill this morning, but our path is high and dry, wh

er and we can't get off at Preston every day and impose on you and your father's horses

hould have told you what you were to expect. They should have a bridge there, but it seems Miss Ella wants a rus

nd do some pole vaulting," declared Lucy. "I hope I can

said Mag. "You had better stick to the path go

ghed Nan. "They would carry me

k on them?"

stunt," laughed Nan. "I haven't tried for ye

terious package that he stowed

th is that?"

to catch

se, B

ucy get home. I'm afraid the Misses Grant will object if t

. They had been used to advertise a certain grade of very reliable trousers, of an English cut. Jus

't walk on stilts and carry things in your hands at the same time. Tie your umbrellas to th

mbrellas could be closed and tied to the stilts. The air was cold and crisp now and there was a hint of snow. They stopped in the little station l

been years and years since I tried," and she bal

walker, always a stilt walker!"

was right: it had been high in the morning but was much higher in the afternoon. The one stepp

walk through deep rushing water on stilts. They have a way of floating off unless you p

through the water if I

Nan, I pretty near love Billy for t

ldn't say lo

bush about such matters. He is certainly the nices

do like him a lo

he count and M

nd Nan got rosy from her exertion of goose st

er that is, and Tom Smith took you on fine flying bats, but Billy here, he gets some sti

estis is an elegant, cultured gentle

tilts will get us over the branch dry shod. There's Helen's rubber!" and Lucy adroitly lifted the little muddy shoe

better they hid their stilts in the bushes, up close to th

en stream on those red stilts and truly thanked the kind Billy Sutton who had thought of them.

n the road, poor Nan goose stepped too far and fell backwards in the water. Fortunately it was on her homeward journey and she could get to Valhalla a

once a gay

the Great J

en in t

mmon lo

yet mastered