I told Robert he must hitch up and drive
you to the station. I enjoy making Robert do things. It's almost the
only sport I have left. I'm over eighty and most things have lost their
flavour except bossing Robert."
Robert sat before the door on the front seat of a trim, double-seated,
rubber-tired buggy. He must have heard every word his mother-in-law said
but he gave no sign.
"I do wish," said Rilla, plucking up what little spirit she had left,
"that you would let me--oh--ah--" then she quailed again before Mrs.
Matilda Pitman's eye--"recompense you for--for--"
"Mrs. Matilda Pitman said before--and meant it--that she doesn't take
pay for entertaining strangers, nor let other people where she lives do
it, much as their natural meanness would like to do it. You go along to
town and don't forget to call the next time you come this way. Don't be
scared. Not that you are scared of much, I reckon, considering the way
you sassed Robert back this morning. I like your spunk. Most girls
nowadays are such timid, skeery creeturs. When I was a girl I wasn't
afraid of nothing nor nobody. Mind you take good care of that boy. He
ain't any common child. And make Robert drive round all the puddles in
the road. I won't have that new buggy splashed."
As they drove away Jims threw kisses at Mrs. Matilda Pitman as long as
he could see her, and Mrs. Matilda Pitman waved her sock back at him.
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