If I was goin' to marry anybody in that family 'twould be Hannah;
she's the most man of the two."
Imogene herself came down a few minutes later. She was much surprised
to find her mistress and Miss Howes dressed and in the kitchen. Also she
was very curious.
"Who's that man," she asked; "the one in the next room to mine, up
attic? Is he a new boarder? He must have come awful late. I heard you
and him talkin' in the middle of the night. Who is he?"
When told the story of Jedediah's return she was greatly excited.
"Why, it's just like somethin' in a story!" she cried. "Long-lost folks
are always comin' back in stories. And comin' Christmas Eve makes it all
the better. Lordy--There, I ain't said that for weeks and weeks! Excuse
me, Mrs. Thankful. I WON'T say it again. But--but what are we goin' to
do with him? Is he goin' to stay here for good?"
Thankful answered that she supposed he was, he had no other place to
stay.
"Is he rich? He ought to be. Folks in stories always come home rich
after they've run off."
"Well, this one didn't. He missed connections, somehow. Rich! No,"
drily, "he ain't rich."
"Well, what will he do? Will we have to take care of him--free, I mean?
Excuse me for buttin' in, ma'am, but it does seem as if we had enough on
our hands without takin' another free boarder."
Thankful went into the dining-room. Emily, when the question was
repeated to her, suggested that, possibly, Jedediah might work about
the place, take care of the live-stock and of the garden, when there was
one.
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