They dismissed their vehicle, so burning their ships, and knocked at the front door. A moment after it was opened by Charity. Her tall figure was arrayed in a homely print gown, of no particular fashion; a little shawl was over her shoulders, notwithstanding the heat, and on her head a sun-bonnet.
"Three of us," said Charity, confronting the pair with a doubtful face.
"She's as near as possible not," said the door-keeper; "but I guess she is. You may come in, and I'll see."
She opened a door in the hall which led to a room on the north side of it, corresponding to Mrs. Barclay's on the south; and there she left them. It was large and pleasant and cool, if it was also very plain; and Mrs. Lenox sank into a rocking-chair, repeating to herself that it was 'very respectable.' On a table at one side lay a few books, which drew Mr. Lenox's curiosity.
"Ruskin's 'Modern Painters'!" he exclaimed, looking at his wife.
"No, this is Vol. 5. And the next is Thiers' 'Consulate and Empire'!"
"No. Original. And 'the Old Red Sandstone.'"
"He is, or was, a gentleman whom you would not admit to your society. He began life as a Scotch mason."
Meanwhile, Charity, going back to the living-room of the family, found there Lois busied in arraying old Mrs. Armadale for some sort of excursion; putting a light shawl about her, and drawing a white sun-bonnet over her cap. Lois herself was in an old nankeen dress with a cape, and had her hat on.
"There's some folks that want you, Lois," her sister announced.
"Want me!" said Lois. "Who is it? why didn't you tell them we were just going out?"
"I don't usually say things without I know that it's so," responded Charity. "Maybe we're going to be hindered."
"We must not be hindered," returned Lois. "Grandmother is ready, and Mrs. Barclay is ready, and the cart is here. We must go, whoever comes. You get mother into the cart, and the baskets and everything, and I'll be as quick as I can."
So Lois went into the parlour. A great surprise came over her when she saw who was there, and with the surprise a slight feeling of amusement; along with some other feeling, she could not have told what, which put her gently upon her mettle. She received her visitors frankly and pleasantly, and also with a calm ease which at the moment was superior to their own. So she heard their explanation of what had befallen them, and of their resolution to visit her; and a slight account of their drive from Independence; all which Mrs. Lenox gave with more prolixity than she had intended or previously thought necessary.