She cleared her throat twice before she could
bring out a word. Then she said, "Why, yes, we'd kind of like to keep
her. We've sort of got used to having her around."
That's what she SAID, but, as you have noticed before on this exciting
day, what people said didn't matter as much as what they looked; and as
her old lips pronounced these words so quietly the corners of Aunt
Abigail's mouth were twitching, and she was swallowing hard. She said,
impatiently, to Cousin Ann, "Hand me that handkerchief, Ann!" And as she
blew her nose, she said, "Oh, what an old fool I am!"
Then, all of a sudden, it was as though a great, fresh breeze had blown
through the house. They all drew a long breath and began to talk loudly
and cheerfully about the weather and Aunt Frances's trip and how Aunt
Harriet was and which room Aunt Frances was to have and would she leave
her wraps down in the hall or take them upstairs--and, in the midst of
this, Betsy, her heart ready to burst, dashed out of doors, followed by
Shep. She ran madly toward the barn. She did not know where she was
going. She only knew that she must run and jump and shout, or she would
explode.
Shep ran and jumped because Betsy did.
To these two wild creatures, careering through the air like bright-blown
autumn leaves, appeared little Molly in the barn door.
"Oh, I'm going to stay! I'm going to stay!" screamed Betsy.
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