when she came back and found Melody's eyebrows all singed off, it did
seem as though the village wouldn't hold her, didn't it? And Doctor
was just as bad. But, there! they couldn't have held her back, once
she knew the child was there; and Rejoice was purely thankful. Melody
seemed to favor Rejoice, almost as if she might be her own child.
Vesta had more of this world in her, sure enough.

Isn't it about time for them to be coming? Doctor won't waste time on
the road, you may be sure. Dreadful crusty he was this morning, if any
one tried to speak to him. Miss Meechin came along just as he was
harnessing up, and asked if he couldn't give her something to ease up
her sciatica a little mite, and what do you think he said? "Take it to
the Guinea Coast and drown it!" Not another word could she get out of
him. Now, that's no way to talk to a patient. But Doctor hasn't been
himself since Melody was stole; anybody could see that with his mouth.
Look at how he's treated that man with the operation, that kept him
from going to find the child himself! He never said a word to him,
they say, and tended him as careful as a woman, every day since he got
hurt; but just as soon as he got through with him, he'd go out in the
yard, they say, and swear at the pump, till it would turn your blood
cold to hear him. It's gospel truth, for I had it from the nurse, and
she said it chilled her marrow. Yes, a violent man, Doctor always was;
and, too, he was dreadful put out at the way the man got hurt,--
reaching out of his buggy to slat his neighbor's cow, just because he
had a spite against him. Seemed trifling, some thought, but he's like
to pay for it. Did you hear the sound of wheels?

Look at Alice and Alfred, over there with the baby; bound to have the
first sight of them, aren't they, standing on the wall like that? They
are as happy as two birds, ever since they made up that time. Yes,