Nancy Ellen had gone to visit a neighbour girl, so Kate risked her
remaining until after church in the evening. She hurried to their
room and mended all her own clothing she had laid out. Then she
deliberately went over Nancy Ellen's and helped herself to a pair
of pretty nightdresses, such as she had never owned, a white
embroidered petticoat, the second best white dress, and a most
becoming sailor hat. These she made into a parcel and carried to
the wash room, brought in the telescope and packed it, hiding it
under a workbench and covering it with shavings. After that she
went to her room and wrote a note, and then slept deeply until the
morning call. She arose at once and went to the wash room but
instead of washing the family clothing, she took a bath in the
largest tub, and washed her hair to a state resembling spun gold.
During breakfast she kept sharp watch down the road. When she saw
Adam, 3d, coming she stuck her note under the hook on which she
had seen her father hang his hat all her life, and carrying the
telescope in the clothes basket covered with a rumpled sheet, she
passed across the yard and handed it over the fence to Adam,
climbed that same fence, and they started toward Hartley.
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