n her mother, she determined to go to the bathroom at the
end of the hall rather than use the wash-stand in the room where she
was, so she gathered up her clothing in her arms, and went down the
entry, made her toilet and crept down stairs. There was a light burning
in the lower hallway, but it was dark all through the rest of the house
and she was obliged to feel her way through the rooms. There was a
noise of some one stirring in the pantry. She opened the door of the
kitchen gently and peeped in. A lamp was burning on the table, but no
key lay there. Edna tip-toed in quietly and felt on the nail where the
key should hang, thrusting aside a gingham apron belonging to Reliance
which hung just above its place, but the nail was empty and she was
forced to believe she had dropped the key somewhere between the
spring-house and the kitchen. She tip-toed out of the kitchen, turned
the key of the outside door and closed it after her as noiselessly as
possible, and in another moment was outside in the chill November air.
It was rather fearsome to make one's way down dim paths where some wild
creature might still be lurking after a night's raid from the woods near
by, and she imagined all sorts of things. First, something stole softly
by her and was off like a shot through the tall weeds growing beyond the
fence; it was only a rabbit who was more frightened at Edna than she at
it. Next, the bushes parted and a small white figure crept stealthily
forth. The child's heart stood still and she stopped short. Then came a
plaintive meow and she discovered one of the three kittens out on an
adventuring tour. She picked up the little creature which purred
contentedly as she snuggled it to her, continuing her way.

The garden left behind, there was the lane to be passed through, and
here some real cause for fear in Edna's opinion, for the cows that Ira
had just finished milking were coming through the bars he had let down.
They stumbled along clumsily, following one another over the rail, and
ambled on to another set of bars where they stood till Ira should let
them through. At first, Edna did not realize that they were not making
for the spot where she stood and she took to her heels, fleeing
frantically back to the garden, banging the gate behind her and standing
still waiting till the cows were through and the bars up again. Seeing
the cows safely shut out from the lane she ventured forth again and
followed Ira's lantern to the barn.