"He says he built that little house for me," said the old lady, as she
closed down the lid of the trunk. There was a wistful note in Blossy's
voice, which made Abraham declare with a burst of sympathy:

"'T ain't no disgrace ter git married at no time of life. Sam'l's a good
pervider; why don't yew snap him up ter-day? We'll miss yew a lot;
but--"

"Here's the apple-picker right over your head," interrupted Blossy
tartly, and Abe felt himself peremptorily dismissed.

Scarcely had he left the attic, however, than she too hastened down the
steep, narrow stairs. She spent the remaining hours before train-time in
donning her beautiful lace gown, and in making the woman within it as
young and ravishing as possible. And lovely, indeed, Blossy looked this
day, with a natural flush of excitement on her cheek, a new sparkle in
her bright, dark eyes, and with her white hair arranged in a fashion
which might have excited a young girl's envy.

The hour for the train came and went, and, lo! for the first time in the
history of twenty years Captain Darby did not appear.

Blossy pretended to be relieved, protesting that she was delighted to
find that she would now have an extra hour in which to ponder the
question. But the second train came and went, and still no Captain
Darby.

All the afternoon long Blossy wore her lace gown, thinking although
there were no more trains from the eastward that day, that Samuel would
still find his way to her. He might drive, as he usually did in June, or