"It's been such a treat to have you," she cried. "I've been enjoyin'
every minute of your visit."
This was puzzling. How long Mrs. John Shadrack had been entertaining
me, or I had been entertaining her, I had not the remotest idea. A
very long while ago I had seen a spire of smoke curling through the
trees in Happy Valley, and I had been told that it was from her hearth.
Then we had gone plunging madly down the hill to it, Tip, the gray colt
and I. We had turned a sharp bend, we had heard the swish of a
mountain-stream. There my memory failed me. I had awakened to find
myself helpless on a bed, strangely hard, but, oh, so restful! Then
she had appeared, sitting there smoking.
"You are the first stranger as has been here since the tax collector
last month," she said, beginning to clear away the mystery. "I love
strangers."
"How long have I been here?" I asked.
"Since last Wednesday," she answered.
"And this is what?"
"The next Saturday. I've had you three days. You was a bit wrong here
sometimes.
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