The large man sobbed audibly in his red handkerchief.  His wife cast an impatient glance at him.  “Well, if that is the way it was, of course we shall all be happy to stay and have a cup of tea,” said she.  “We’ve got a long ride before us, and I don’t feel quite as well as common this spring.  Of course I didn’t understand how it happened, and I felt kind of hurt; it was only natural.  I see how it was, now.  ’Lisha, hadn’t you better slip out and see how the horse is standing?” The little woman thrust her own white handkerchief into her husband’s hand as he started.  “You put that red one under the wagon seat,” she whispered loud in his ear.  Then she and the little girls in blue returned to their chairs.  The rest of the company had been listening with furtive attention.  Jerome had been trembling with indignation at his mother’s side.  He looked at the large man, and wondered impatiently why he did not shake that small woman, since he was able.  There was as yet no leniency on the score of sex in the boy.  He would have well liked to fly at that little wrathful body who was attacking his mother, and also blaming him for not riding those ten miles to notify her of the funeral.  He scowled hard at her and the three little girls after they had returned to their seats.  One of the girls, a pretty child with red curls, caught his frown, and stared at him with scared but fascinated blue eyes.

Supper was announced shortly.  Belinda Lamb, instigated by Paulina Maria, stood in the door and said, with melancholy formality, “Will you come out now and have a little refreshment before you go home?”

Ann did not stir.  The others went out lingeringly, holding back for politeness’ sake; she sat still with her black veil over her face and her black gloved hands crossed in her lap.  Paulina Maria came to her and tried to induce her to remove her bonnet and have some tea with the rest, but she shook her head.  “I want to just sit here and keep still till they’re gone,” said she.

She sat there.  Some of the others came and added their persuasions to Paulina Maria’s, but she was firm.  Jerome remained beside his mother; Elmira had been bidden to go into the other room and help wait upon the company.

“There’s room for Jerome at the table, if you ain’t coming,” said Paulina Maria to Ann; but Jerome answered for himself.

“I’ll wait till that crowd are gone,” said he, with a fierce gesture.

“You wouldn’t speak that way if you were my boy,” said Paulina Maria.

Jerome muttered under his breath that he wasn’t her boy.  Paulina Maria cast a stern glance at him as she went out.

“Don’t you be saucy, Jerome Edwards,” Ann said, in a sharp whisper through her black veil.  “She’s done a good deal for us.”

“I’d like to kill the whole lot!” said the boy, clinching his little fist.