I went out to the kitchen to find what could be expected in the way of hot water for Miss Em’ly when she should come.  I found I could have all I wanted if I heated it myself.  Mrs. Ferguson could not be bothered about it, because a water company had met there to vote on new canals, the sheep-men were holding a convention, there was a more than usual run of transients besides the regular boarders, and supper was ordered for the whole push.  All the help she had was a girl she just knew didn’t have sense enough to pound sand into a rat-hole.  Under those circumstances I was mighty glad to help.  I put water on to heat and then forgot Miss Em’ly, I was enjoying helping so much, until I heard a door slam and saw the stage drive away toward the barn.

I hastened to the room I knew was reserved for Miss Em’ly.  I rapped on the door, but it was only opened a tiny crack.  I whispered through that I was a neighbor-friend of Mr. Bennet’s, that I had lots of hot water for her and had come to help her if I might.  Then she opened the door, and I entered.  I found a very travel-stained little woman, down whose dust-covered cheeks tears had left their sign.  Her prettiness was the kind that wins at once and keeps you ever after.  She was a strange mixture of stiff reticence and childish trust.  She was in such a flutter, and she said she was ashamed to own it, but she was so hungry she could hardly wait.

After helping her all I could, I ran out to see about the wedding supper that was to be served before the wedding.  I found that no special supper had been prepared.  It seemed to me a shame to thrust them down among the water company, the convention, the regulars, and the transients, and I mentally invited myself to the wedding supper and began to plan how we could have a little privacy.  The carpenters were at work on a long room off the kitchen that was to be used as storeroom and pantry.  They had gone for the day, and their saw-horses and benches were still in the room.  It was only the work of a moment to sweep the sawdust away.  There was only one window, but it was large and in the west.  It took a little time to wash that, but it paid to do it.  When a few asters and sprays of rabbit-brush were placed in a broken jar on the window-sill, there was a picture worth seeing.  Some planks were laid on the saw-horses, some papers over them, and a clean white cloth over all.  I sorted the dishes myself; the prettiest the house afforded graced our table.  I rubbed the glassware until it shone almost as bright as Bishey’s smile.

Bishey had come when he could stay away no longer; he and Miss Em’ly had had their first little talk, so they came out to where I was laying the table.  They were both beaming.  Miss Em’ly took hold at once to help.  “Bishey,” she commanded, “do you go at once to where my boxes are open, the one marked 7; bring me a blue jar you’ll find in one corner.”  He went to do her bidding, and I to see about the kiddies.  When