While they were talking a sudden whirlwind swept round the corner of the house, caught up the little mound of folded lace corset-covers and strewed them over the dusty yard.  Claude ran after them with Enid’s flowered workbag and thrust them into it as he came upon one after another, fluttering in the weeds.  When he returned, Enid had folded her needle-case and was putting on her hat.  “Thank you,” she said with a smile.  “Did you find everything?”

“I think so.”  He hurried toward the car to hide his guilty face.  One little lace thing he had not put into the bag, but had thrust into his pocket.

The next morning Enid came up early to hear the birds in the timber.

XII

On the night before his wedding Claude went to bed early.  He had been dashing about with Ralph all day in the car, making final preparations, and was worn out.  He fell asleep almost at once.  The women of the household could not so easily forget the great event of tomorrow.  After the supper dishes were washed, Mahailey clambered up to the attic to get the quilt she had so long been saving for a wedding present for Claude.  She took it out of the chest, unfolded it, and counted the stars in the pattern—­counting was an accomplishment she was proud of—­before she wrapped it up.  It was to go down to the mill house with the other presents tomorrow.  Mrs. Wheeler went to bed many times that night.  She kept thinking of things that ought to be looked after; getting up and going to make sure that Claude’s heavy underwear had been put into his trunk, against the chance of cold in the mountains; or creeping downstairs to see that the six roasted chickens which were to help out at the wedding supper were securely covered from the cats.  As she went about these tasks, she prayed constantly.  She had not prayed so long and fervently since the battle of the Marne.

Early the next morning Ralph loaded the big car with the presents and baskets of food and ran down to the Royces’.  Two motors from town were already standing in the mill yard; they had brought a company of girls who came with all the June roses in Frankfort to trim the house for the wedding.  When Ralph tooted his horn, half-a-dozen of them ran out to greet him, reproaching him because he had not brought his brother along.  Ralph was immediately pressed into service.  He carried the step-ladder wherever he was told, drove nails, and wound thorny sprays of rambler roses around the pillars between the front and back parlours, making the arch under which the ceremony was to take place.