Part 42 (1/2)

”Supper,” said Lewis.

”Well,” said Leighton, ”that's what you'll get today--at six o'clock, and don't you be frightened when you see it. It has been said of the Scotch that the most wonderful thing about them is that they can live on oats. The mystery of the brawn and muscle of New England is no less wrapped up in pies. But don't hesitate. Pitch in. There's something about this air that turns a nightly mixture of mince-pies, pumpkin-pies, custard-pies, lemon-pies, and apple-pies, with cheese, into a substance as heavenly light as fresh-fallen manna. It is a tradition, wisely fostered by the farmers, that the only thing that can bring nightmare and the colic to a stomach in New England are green apples and stolen melons.”

Lewis was in good appet.i.te, as was Leighton. They ate heartily of many things besides pies, went to bed at nine, and would have slept the round of the clock had not a great gong--a bit of steel rail hung on a wire--and all the mult.i.tudinous noises of farm headquarters broken out in one simultaneous chorus at half-past five in a glorious morning.

Noisy geese and noisier c.o.c.ks, whinnying horses and lowing cattle, the rattle of milk-tins, the squeak of the well-boom, the clank of mowing-machines, the swish of a pa.s.sing brush-harrow, and, finally, the clamoring gong, were too much for Nelton. Lewis, on his way to look for a bath, caught him stuffing what he called ”cotton an' wool” into his ears.

”Tork about the streets of Lunnon, Master Lewis,” he said. ”I calls this country life _deafenin'_.”

Lewis had wanted to telegraph to Natalie, but Leighton had stopped him.

”You've waited too long for that,” he had said. ”You have apparently neglected Natalie and Mrs. Leighton. When people think they've been neglected, never give them a chance to think up what they're going to say to you. Just fall on them.”

As soon as they had breakfasted, Leighton took Lewis to the top of the hill at the back of the homestead. It was a high hill. It commanded a long stretch of the Housatonic Valley to the east, and toward the west and north it overlooked two ridges, with the dips between, before the eye came up against the barrier of the Berks.h.i.+re range.

Lewis drew a long breath of the cold, morning air.

”It's beautiful, Dad,” he said.

”Beautiful!” repeated Leighton, his eyes sweeping slowly and wistfully across the scene. ”Boy, G.o.d has made no lovelier land.”

Then he turned to the west and pointed across to the second ridge. ”Do you see that gleam of white that stands quite alone?”

”Yes, I think I see what you mean,” said Lewis. ”'Way down, just below it, you can see the tip of a church steeple.”

”So you can,” said Leighton. ”Well, that gleam of white is Aunt Jed's.

Make for it. That's where you'll find Natalie.”

”Is it?” said Lewis, straightening, and with a flush of excitement in his cheeks. ”Aren't you coming, too?”

”No,” said Leighton; ”not to-day. We won't expect you back before supper. Tell Mrs. Leighton that I'll be over soon to see her and thank her.”

Lewis started off with an eager stride, only to learn that Aunt Jed's was farther away than it looked. He found a road and followed it through the valley and up the first ridge, then seeing that the road meandered off to the right into a village, he struck off across the fields straight for the distant house.

He had pa.s.sed through the moist bottoms and come upon a tract of rock-strewn pasture land when he saw before him the figure of a girl.

Her back was to him. A great, rough straw hat hid her head. She wore a white blouse and a close-fitting blue skirt. She was tall and supple, but she walked slowly, with her eyes on the ground. In one hand she carried a little tin pail.

Lewis came up behind her.

”What are you looking for?” he asked.

The girl started and turned. Lewis stepped forward. They stood and stared at each other. The little tin pail slipped from the girl's hand.

”Strawberries,” she stammered. ”I was looking for strawberries.” Then she added so low that he scarcely heard her, ”Lew?”

”Nat!” cried Lewis. ”It _is_ Nat!”

Natalie swayed toward him. He caught her by the arms. She looked at him and tried to smile, but instead she crumpled into a heap on a rock and cried--cried as though her heart would break.