In a moment Shep reappeared, his tongue hanging
out, his tail wagging, his eyes glistening, very proud of himself, and
mounted guard at the door.
Aunt Frances hurried along desperately through the gate of the barnyard.
As it fell to behind her she sank down on a rock, breathless, still pale
and agitated. Betsy threw her arms around her in a transport of
affection. She felt that she UNDERSTOOD Aunt Frances as nobody else
could, the dear, sweet, gentle, timid aunt! She took the thin, nervous
white fingers in her strong brown hands. "Oh, Aunt Frances, dear,
darling Aunt Frances!" she cried, "how I wish I could ALWAYS take care
of you."
The last of the red and gold leaves were slowly drifting to the ground
as Betsy and Uncle Henry drove back from the station after seeing Aunt
Frances off. They were not silent this time, as when they had gone to
meet her. They were talking cheerfully together, laying their plans for
the winter which was so near. "I must begin to bank the house tomorrow,"
mused Uncle Henry. "And those apples have got to go to the cider-mill,
right off. Don't you want to ride over on top of them, Betsy, and see
'em made into cider?"
"Oh, my, yes!" said Betsy, "that will be fine! And I must put away
Deborah's summer clothes and get Cousin Ann to help me make some warm
ones, if I'm going to take her to school in cold weather.
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