CHAPTER IV.

A CHAT WITH AUNT MOLLIE.


When the stranger looked from his window the next morning, the
valley was still wrapped in its gray blanket. But when he and his
host came from the house after breakfast, the sun had climbed well
above the ridge, and, save a long, loosely twisted rope of fog
that hung above the distant river, the mists were gone. The city
man exclaimed with delight at the beauty of the scene.

As they stood watching the sheep--white specks in the distance--
climbing out of the valley where the long shadows still lay, to
the higher, sunlit pastures, Mr. Matthews said, "We've all been a
talkin' about you this mornin', Mr. Howitt, and we'd like mighty
well to have you stop with us for a spell. If I understood right,
you're just out for your health anyway, and you'll go a long ways,
sir, before you find a healthier place than this right here. We
ain't got much such as you're used to, I know, but what we have is
yourn, and we'd be proud to have you make yourself to home for as
long as you'd like to stay. You see it's been a good while since
we met up with anybody like you, and we count it a real favor to
have you."