at the stove.

"I'd like to say to some folks that we don't keep hotel," grumbled the
good woman, "I wish to my heart I'd stepped right out o' the front
door and gone straight to meetin' and left them there beholdin' of me.
Course he hasn't had no supper, nor dinner neither like's not, and if
men are ever going to drop down on a family unexpected it's always
Friday night when everything's eat up that ever was in the house. I
s'pose, after I bake double quantities to-morrow mornin', he'll be
drivin' off before noon-time, and treasure it up that we never have
nothin' decent to set before folks. Anna, you've got to stir yourself
and help, while I get the fire started up; lay one o' them big dinner
napkins over the red cloth, and set a plate an' a tea-cup, for as for
laying the whole table over again, I won't and I shan't. There's water
to cart upstairs and the bed-room to open, but Heaven be thanked I was
up there dustin' to-day, and if ever you set a mug of flowers into one
o' the spare-rooms again and leave it there a week or ten days to
spile, I'll speak about it to the doctor. Now you step out o' my way
like a good girl. I don't know whether you or the cat's the worst for
gettin' before me when I'm in a drive. I'll set him out somethin' to
eat, and then I'm goin' to meetin' if the skies fall."

Nan meekly obeyed directions, and with a sense of guilt concerning the
deserted posies went to hover about the study door after the plates
were arranged, instead of braving further the stormy atmosphere of the
kitchen. Marilla's lamp had shone in so that there had been light
enough in the dining-room, but the study was quite dark except where
there was one spark at the end of the doctor's half-finished cigar,
which was alternately dim and bright like the revolving lantern of a
lighthouse.

At that moment the smoker rose, and with his most considerate and
conciliatory tone asked Marilla for the study lamp, but Nan heard, and
ran on tiptoe and presently brought it in from the kitchen, holding it
carefully with both hands and walking slowly. She apparently had no
thought beyond her errand, but she was brimful of eagerness to see the
unexpected guest; for guests were by no means frequent, and since she
had really become aware of a great outside world beyond the boundaries
of Oldfields she welcomed the sight of any messengers.

Dr. Leslie hastily pushed away some books from the lamp's place; and
noticing that his visitor looked