widow said:
I went to sleep reading in bed and slept straight through all that
noise. Why didn t you come and wake me?
We judged it warn t worth while. Those fellows warn t likely to come
again they hadn t any tools left to work with, and what was the use of
waking you up and scaring you to death? My three negro men stood guard
at your house all the rest of the night. They ve just come back.
More visitors came, and the story had to be told and retold for a couple
of hours more.
There was no Sabbath-school during day-school vacation, but everybody
was early at church. The stirring event was well canvassed. News came
that not a sign of the two villains had been yet discovered. When the
sermon was finished, Judge Thatcher s wife dropped alongside of Mrs.
Harper as she moved down the aisle with the crowd and said:
Is my Becky going to sleep all day? I just expected she would be tired
to death.
Your Becky?
Yes, with a startled look didn t she stay with you last night?
Why, no.
Mrs. Thatcher turned pale, and sank into a pew, just as Aunt Polly,
talking briskly with a friend, passed by. Aunt Polly said:
Goodmorning, Mrs. Thatcher. Goodmorning, Mrs. Harper. I ve got a boy
that s turned up missing. I reckon my Tom stayed at your house last
night one of you. And now he s afraid to come to church. I ve got to
settle with him.
Mrs. Thatcher shook her head feebly and turned paler than ever.
He didn t stay with us, said Mrs. Harper, beginning to look uneasy. A
marked anxiety came into Aunt Polly s face.
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