Janet | Page 7

and saw a tall, mannish-looking woman, dressed in a rough serge suit and heavy boots, coming toward them. She had on a soft gray felt hat without any trimming, and she carried a market basket over her arm. Her eyes were small but they were so very blue and penetrating that Janet felt they must be making holes in the back of her head.
"Hello, whose children are you?" she demanded rather than asked as she put her basket into the cart. She turned to Harry. "You're Harry Waters. I know but you." She scrutinized Janet, and suddenly her face softened and she put one big hand on her slender shoulder.
"You're a Page," she said. "The Pages all have straight short noses. Wait a minute and let me think. Haven't you a sister?"
Janet shook her head and smiled. It was a merry smile, for she suddenly realized that she liked this queer, outspoken woman very much.
"No, I haven't a sister," she replied. "I wish I had. I have a brother and a grandmother, and I think that's all, except Boru." She looked down at the dog, who was sniffing at the stranger's skirts. "Your horse is a beauty," she added shyly.
"Like him? So do I. Suppose you drive me home; that is, to the rectory. I am staying there, and my name is Ann Todd. Here you are! Jump in, Harry. If you can wind up those fat legs of yours you will just fit in the back.
Janet had hard work not to show her surprise, for it was even greater than her delight. She had never, in all her short life, met any one who cut off their sentences as though they were clipping threads and who made up their minds so quickly.
They reached the rectory before she could think of anything to say, and then all she could stammer was, "Oh, thank you ever so much; it was simply thrilling."
Alice and Mildred Blake were sitting in the tiny little flower garden, both busy with yards of green bunting which they were sewing together in long strips. They looked up in surprise as they saw Janet and Harry.
"Oh, Janet, will your grandmother really let you; isn't that wonderful!" they exclaimed.
Janet was utterly bewildered. "What are you talking about?" she demanded. "Will my grandmother let me do what?"
Alice and Mildred looked at each other in confusion, and then at Mrs. Todd.
"We though --" Alice began.
"Cousin Ann and mother said --" finished Mildred.
Mrs. Todd laughed heartily at their embarrassment and put her arm around Janet.
"Perhaps I can explain," she said. "The girls are talking about the church fair. Their mother said something last night about your grandmother's never letting you take any part in it, and I said that I would undertake to see that you came this year, and so I will." Her jaw snapped with such decision as she said these words that Janet almost jumped.
"That's awfully nice of you," she replied politely, "but grandmother's mind is rather hard to change. I never try."
"Why won't she let you?" Alice asked timidly.
"I hardly remember," -- Janet laughed. "It's so long since I teased to come. I was ten then and I thought that it would be such fun, but -- well, I didn't, and I've never asked since. I think being out late was one of the reasons."
"Humph!" was all Mrs. Todd had to say, but a few minutes later she offered to drive Janet home.
"And I'll just stop in and say 'how do you do,' too, while I'm there," she decided.
On the way, as they bowled along the soft sandy road, Janet worried a little. It was luncheon time, and her grandmother never saw visitors until after three o'clock, but it would be quite useless even to try to explain this to Mrs. Todd, for in her own way she was just as positive and determined as the eccentric Mrs. Page.
"Grim as ever," -- Mrs. Todd laughed as the house came into view. "It's twenty years since I opened that front door but, bless my soul, I know that everything is going to be just the same."
"Why, did you ever live here?" Janet looked at her companion in surprise.
"I did, and I was in this house almost as much as I was in my own. Your father and I were the best of friends."
"Oh!" was all Janet had time to say, before Martha appeared at the door.
Mrs. Todd nodded to her and tied the horse to the garden gate and walked slowly up the narrow, moss-grown walk, a whimsical smile on her thin face.
Martha was speechless, and Janet had to laugh as she watched her curl one end of her apron into a hard little knot.
"Well, Martha," -- Mrs. Todd held out her hand -- "Don't look as though you