Kate picked up the pen, handed it to her mother, signed afterward
herself, and then carried it to each of her sisters, leaving Nancy
Ellen and Mary until last. All of them signed up to Nancy Ellen.
She hesitated, and she whispered to Kate: "Did Robert --?" Kate
nodded. Nancy Ellen thought deeply a minute and then said slowly:
"I guess it is the quickest and best we can do." So she signed.
Mary hesitated longer, but finally added her name. Kate passed on
to the boys, beginning with Adam. Slowly he wrote his name, and
as he handed back the paper he said: "Thank you, Kate, I believe
it's the sanest thing we can do. I can make it easier than the
younger boys."
"Then HELP them," said Kate tersely, passing on.
Each boy signed in turn, all of them pleased with the chance. It
was so much better than they had hoped, that it was a great
relief, which most of them admitted; so they followed Adam's
example in thanking Kate, for all of them knew that in her brain
had originated the scheme, which seemed to make the best of their
troubles.
Then they sat closer and talked things over calmly and
dispassionately. It was agreed that Adam and his mother should
drive to Hartley the following afternoon and arrange for him to
take out papers of administration for her, and start the
adjustment of affairs. They all went home thinking more of each
other, and Kate especially, than ever before. Mrs. Bates got
dinner while Kate and Nancy Ellen went to work on the cool gray
dress, so that it would be ready for the next afternoon. While
her mother was away Kate cleaned the spare bedroom and moved her
mother's possessions into it. She made it as convenient and
comfortable and as pretty as she could, but the house was bare to
austerity, so that her attempt at prettifying was rather a
failure. Then she opened the closed room and cleaned it, after
studying it most carefully as it stood. The longer she worked,
the stronger became a conviction that was slowly working its way
into her brain. When she could do no more she packed her
telescope, installed Sally Whistler in her father's room, and rode
to Hartley with a neighbour. From there she took the Wednesday
hack for Walden.