nly by the limitations of Kit. No one could telephone to
us, even at night, because no one knew where we were to be. As for
trains, we never once saw one. Now and then we heard one whistle, so far
away that it merely emphasized its own remoteness, and a few times we
were compelled to cross over or under a track--a very little track, and
single at that; beyond this our connection with the symbol of Hurry did
not go.

The limitations of Kit were indeed definite and insurmountable. While
her speed on a level was most moderate, uphill it was actually glacial,
and going downhill it was little better. For Kit had come from the level
West, and being, as we have said, conservative, she could never reach
any real understanding of hills. She was willing and conscientious, but
prudent, and although she went downhill when she was requested to, she
did it very much as an old lady might go down a precipice--she let
herself down, half sitting, with occasional gentle groans, rocking from
side to side like a boat in a chop sea. Now all New England is
practically either uphill or downhill, and, if we had been in any haste,
these characteristics of Kit might have annoyed us; but inasmuch as we
did not care where we went or when we got there, what difference did it
make? In fact, it was rather a relief to be thus firmly bound to
sobriety.

In one respect we could not be absolutely irresponsible, however. We
found it advisable to seek out our night's lodging while it was yet
light enough for the farmer's wife to look us over and see that we were
respectable. Our first night out we failed to realize this, and we paid
for it by being forced to put up at a commonplace village inn, instead
of a farmhouse. After that we managed to begin our search for a hostess
about milking-time, and we had little further trouble. Indeed, one of
the pleasures of the week was the hospitality we received; and our
opinion of the New England farmer, his wife and his children, grew
higher as the days passed. Courteous hospitality, or, if hospitality had
to be withheld, courteous regret, was the rule. Twice, when one house
could not take us in, they telephoned--for the telephone is everywhere
now--about the neighborhood among friends until they found a lodging for
us. And pleasant lodgings they always proved.

One exception there was. We drew up one afternoon by a well-kept little
house with a good English name on the post-box, and, as usual, I held
the reins whil