news the curiosity of those who knew her best turned slowly into fear and at last bond again gave utterance to the belief that had either gone out in the early morning and put an end to her life or that she had gone to the some of the people at table were moved to loud laughter � it was at supper time on a sunday � but others listened with great interest the flight of lane she never d put on her good clothes to herself said the widow she might have thought t was good as em with her though old folks has wandered off an got lost in the woods afore now mrs dow and resented this impertinent remark but to take no notice of the speaker she would n t have wore her best clothes to the would she mildly inquired her head toward the ceiling t would be a shame to spoil your best things in such a place an i don t know of her any money there s the end o that you re bad as old mis bland that used to live neighbor to our folks said one of the old men she was dreadful precise an she so to wear a good dress that was left to her that it hung in a press forty year an the at last i often seen mis bland a goin in to when i was a young girl said bond she was a good woman an she left property wish she d left it to me then said the poor soul opposite glancing at her pathetic row of children but it was not good the flight of lane manners at the farm to one s and mrs dow and only frowned where do you suppose can be said mrs dow for the twentieth time she did n t have no money i know she ain t gone far if it s so that she s yet alive she s b en real pinched all the spring perhaps that lady that come one day give her some the keeper s wife suggested mildly then would have told me said mrs dow with injured dignity vi on the morning of her disappearance rose even before the and the english and dressed herself quietly though with trembling hands and stole out of the kitchen door like a thief the old dog licked her hand and looked at her anxiously the shell cat rubbed against her best gown and trotted away up the yard then she turned anxiously and came after the old woman following faithfully until she had to be driven back was used to long country excursions the flight of lane she dearly loved the early morning and finding that there was no dew to trouble her she began to follow pasture paths and short cuts across the fields surprising here and there a flock of sleepy sheep or a startled calf that out from the bushes the birds were their breakfast from bush and turf and hardly any of the wild inhabitants of that rural world were enough alarmed by her presence to do more than flutter away if they chanced to be in her path she stepped along and eager as a girl dressed in her neat old straw bonnet and black gown and carrying a few in her best one that her only brother had brought home from the east indies fifty years before there was an old crow perched as on a small dead pine tree where he could warn friends who were pulling up the com in a field close by but he only gave a contemptuous as the adventurer appeared and she shook her bundle at him in revenge and laughed to see him so clumsy as he tried to keep his footing on the twigs yes i be she assured him i m a goin to to the the flight of lane same s other folks i d jest as soon tell ye s not old crow and laughed aloud in pleased content with herself and her daring as she walked along she had only two miles to go to the station at south and she felt for the money now and then and found it safe enough she took great pride in the success of her escape and especially in the long concealment of her wealth not a night had passed since mrs s visit that she had not slept with the roll of money under her pillow by night and safe inside her dress by day she knew that everybody would offer advice and even commands about the spending or saving of it and she no interference the last mile of the foot path to south was along the railway track and began to feel in haste though it was still nearly two hours to train time she looked anxiously forward and back along the rails every few minutes for fear of being run over and at last she caught sight of an engine that was apparently coming toward her and took flight into the woods before she could gather courage to follow the path again the freight train proved to be at a waiting at a and some the flight of lane of the men were about eating their early breakfast comfortably in this time of leisure as the old woman came up to them she stopped too for a moment of rest and conversation where be ye goin she asked pleasantly and they told her it was to the town where she had to change cars and take the great through train a point of geography which she had learned from evening talks between the men at the farm what ye carry me there for we don t run no passenger cars said one of the young fellows laughing what makes you in such a hurry i m for an it s a t ways 