"Why, Nancy Ellen --!" said Kate, then fled to the kitchen too
happy to speak further.
None of them ever forgot that week. It was such a happy time that
all of them dreaded its end; but when it came they parted
cheerfully, and each went back to work, the better for the happy
reunion. Kate did not return to Walden until Monday; then she
found Mrs. Holt in an evil temper. Kate could not understand it.
She had no means of knowing that for a week George had nagged his
mother unceasingly because Kate was gone on his return, and would
not be back until after time for him to go again. The only way
for him to see her during the week he had planned to come out
openly as her lover, was to try to find her at her home, or at her
sister's. He did not feel that it would help him to go where he
never had been asked. His only recourse was to miss a few days of
school and do extra work to make it up; but he detested nothing in
life as he detested work, so the world's happy week had been to
them one of constant sparring and unhappiness, for which Mrs. Holt
blamed Kate. Her son had returned expecting to court Kate Bates
strenuously; his disappointment was not lightened by his mother's
constant nagging. Monday forenoon she went to market, and came in
gasping.
"Land sakes!" she cried as she panted down the hall. "I've got a
good one on that impident huzzy now!"
"You better keep your mouth shut, and not gossip about her," he
said. "Everyone likes her!"
"No, they don't, for I hate her worse 'n snakes! If it wa'n't for
her money I'd fix her so's 'at she'd never marry you in kingdom
come."
George Holt clenched his big fist.
"Just you try it!" he threatened. "Just you try that!"
"You'll live to see the day you'd thank me if I did. She ain't
been home. Mind you, she ain't been HOME! She never seen her
sister married at all! Tilly Nepple has a sister, living near the
Bates, who worked in the kitchen. She's visitin' at Tilly's now.
Miss High-and-Mighty never seen her sister married at all! An' it
looked mighty queer, her comin' here a week ahead of time, in the
fall. Looks like she'd done somepin she don't DARE go home. No
wonder she tears every scrap of mail she gets to ribbons an' burns
it. I told you she had a secret! If ever you'd listen to me."
"Why, you're crazy!" he exclaimed. "I did listen to you. What
you told me was that I should go after her with all my might. So
I did it. Now you come with this. Shut it up! Don't let her get
wind of it for the world!"