The simple meal prepared and set out, Hilda bade farewell to her two
friends, and flitted back to the farm. Mrs. Chirk was to return in the
evening, so she felt no further anxiety about them.
She found the farmer just returned from the village in high spirits.
Squire Gaylord had examined the diamonds, pronounced them of great
value, and had readily advanced the money to pay off the mortgage,
taking two or three large stones as security. Lawyer Clinch had
reluctantly received his money, and relinquished all claim upon
Hartley's Glen, though with a very bad grace.
"He kind o' insinuated that the di'monds had prob'ly ben stole by Father
_or_ me, he couldn't say which; and he said somethin' about inquirin'
into the matter. But Squire Gaylord shut him up pooty quick, by sayin'
thar was more things than that as might be inquired into, and if he
began, others might go on; and Lawyer Clinch hadn't nothin' more to say
after that."
When dinner was over, and everything "redded up," Hildegarde sent Dame
Hartley upstairs to take a nap, and escorted the farmer as far as the
barn on his way to the turnip-field. Then, "the coast being clear," she
said to herself, "we will prepare for the tree-party."
Accordingly, arming herself with a stout pruning-knife, she took her way
to the "wood-lot," which lay on the north side of the house. The
splendor of the trees, which were now in full autumnal glory, gave Hilda
a sort of rapture as she approached them.
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