"Mis' Thacher?" "Was it a shock?" asked the brothers in sorrowful
haste, while Mrs. Martin told the sad little story of Adeline's having
come from nobody knew where, wet and forlorn, carrying her child in
her arms. She looked as if she were in the last stages of a decline.
She had fallen just at the doorstep and they had brought her in,
believing that she was dead. "But while there's life, there's hope,"
said Mrs. Martin, "and I'll go back with you if you'll harness up.
Jacob must stop to look after this gre't fire or 'twill burn the
house down," and this was the punishment which befell Jacob, since
nothing else would have kept him from also journeying toward the
Thacher house.


A little later the bewildered horse had been fully wakened and
harnessed; Jacob's daughter and her lover had come eagerly out to hear
what had happened; Mrs. Martin had somehow found a chance amidst all
the confusion to ascend to her garret in quest of some useful remedies
in the shape of herbs, and then she and her husband set forth on their
benevolent errands. Martin was very apt to look on the dark side of
things, and it was a curious fact that while the two sisters were like
the brothers, one being inclined to despondency and one to enthusiasm,
the balance was well kept by each of the men having chosen his
opposite in temperament. Accordingly, while Martin heaved a great sigh
from time to time and groaned softly, "Pore gal--pore gal!" his
partner was brimful of zealous eagerness to return to the scene of
distress and sorrow which she had lately left. Next to the doctor
himself, she was the authority on all medical subjects for that
neighborhood, and it was some time since her skill had been needed.