Chapter XIV

The Return Home

WHILE that parting in the wood was happening, there was a parting in the cottage too, and Lisbeth had stood with Adam at the door, straining her aged eyes to get the last glimpse of Seth and Dinah, as they mounted the opposite slope.

"Eh, I'm loath to see the last on her," she said to Adam, as they turned into the house again. "I'd ha' been willin' t' ha' her about me till I died and went to lie by my old man. She'd make it easier dyin'--she spakes so gentle an' moves about so still. I could be fast sure that pictur' was drawed for her i' thy new Bible--th' angel a-sittin' on the big stone by the grave. Eh, I wouldna mind ha'in a daughter like that; but nobody ne'er marries them as is good for aught."

"Well, Mother, I hope thee WILT have her for a daughter; for Seth's got a liking for her, and I hope she'll get a liking for Seth in time."

"Where's th' use o' talkin' a-that'n? She caresna for Seth. She's goin' away twenty mile aff. How's she to get a likin' for him, I'd like to know? No more nor the cake 'ull come wi'out the leaven. Thy figurin' books might ha' tould thee better nor that, I should think, else thee mightst as well read the commin print, as Seth allays does."

"Nay, Mother," said Adam, laughing, "the figures tell us a fine deal, and we couldn't go far without 'em, but they don't tell us about folks's feelings. It's a nicer job to calculate THEM. But Seth's as good-hearted a lad as ever handled a tool, and plenty o' sense, and good-looking too; and he's got the same way o' thinking as Dinah. He deserves to win her, though there's no denying she's a rare bit o' workmanship. You don't see such women turned off the wheel every day." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who was on the slope?
2. Who was Lisbeth watching?
3. Where were they?
4. Where in the cottage?
5. Who spoke first?
6. Who was she talking to?
7. How does he address her?
8. Who do they hope Seth will like?
9. Do they think Seth is a good guy?
10. Do they think he is good looking?
Answer: 1. Lisbeth and Adam
2. Seth and Dinah
3. in the cottage
4. at the door
5. Lisbeth
6. Adam
7. as Mother
8. Dinah
9. yes
10. yes

Problem: Chapter II

An Unknown Path

Kirk blinked. He closed his eyes and opened them again. The automobile was still there, and he was still in it. Ruth was still gazing at him with the triumphant look in her eyes. The chauffeur, silent emblem of a substantial bank-balance, still sat stiffly at the steering-wheel.

"Rich?" Kirk repeated.

"Rich," Ruth assured him.

"I don't understand."

Ruth's smile faded.

"Poor father----"

"Your father?"

"He died just after you sailed. Just before Bill got ill." She gave a little sigh. "Kirk, how odd life is!"

"But-----"

"It was terrible. It was some kind of a stroke. He had been working too hard and taking no exercise. You know when he sent Steve away that time he didn't engage anybody else in his place. He went back to his old way of living, which the doctor had warned him against. He worked and worked, until one day, Bailey says, he fainted at the office. They brought him home, and he just went out like a burned-out candle. I--I went to him, but for a long time he wouldn't see me.

"Oh, Kirk, the hours I spent in the library hoping that he would let me come to him! But he never did till right at the end. Then I went up, and he was dying. He couldn't speak. I don't know now how he felt toward me at the last. I kissed him. He was all shrunk to nothing. I had a horrible feeling that I had never been a real daughter to him. But--but--you know, he made it difficult, awfully difficult. And then he died; Bailey was on one side of the bed and I was on the other, and the nurse and the doctor were whispering outside the door. I could hear them through the transom."
1. What's the name of this section?
2. Who was closing and opening their eyes?
3. Where was he?
4. Who was looking at him?
5. Who else was in the car?
6. Who died before Bill became sick?
7. When did he die?
8. What did he die of?
9. What caused it?
10. Who didn't he replace?
11. What does Bailey say happened to the father?
12. How did the father respond to her?
13. Where did she wait for a change?
14. When did the father see her?
15. What sign of affection does she show him?
16. Who was on the other bedside?
17. Who was outside the door?
Answer: 1. An Unknown Path
2. Kirk blinked. He closed his ey
3. automobile
4. Ruth
5. The chauffeur
6. father
7. He died just after Kirk sailed.
8. a stroke
9. working too hard and taking no exercise
10. Steve
11. fainted at the office
12. wouldn't see her
13. library
14. as he was dying
15. she kissed him.
16. Bailey
17. nurse and the doctor

question: Joey went to the doctor yesterday. He was a little scared because he might have to get a shot, but his mother promised that it wouldn't hurt. During the time they were in the waiting room, Joey played with some blue and green blocks and some toy cars that the doctor kept there for the children who came to see him. He also met another little boy named Bobby who also had to see the doctor. Bobby liked playing with the cars more than the blocks, but Joey liked playing with both of them. Joey also met a little girl named Sandy who was playing with some dolls the doctor also had for the children. When it was Joey's turn to see the doctor, his mother led him into one of the rooms and had him sit on a yellow chair. The doctor was a friendly man who wore glasses. He took Joey's temperature and looked in his ears, then asked him a few questions about how he had been feeling. When Joey said his throat hurt a little, the doctor took a look at it as well. He said everything looked okay, and Joey wouldn't need any shots this visit. On the way out Susan the nurse let Joey take a red lollipop from a basket on her desk. By the time Joey got home, he thought the doctor wasn't so scary after all.
1. Where did Joey go?
2. when?
3. For what?
4. HOw did he feel?
5. What did his mother say?
6. What did he do in the waiting room?
7. with what?
8. What color were they?
9. Was anyone else there?
10. Who?
11. named?
12. Anyone else?
13. who?
14. named?
15. What was she doing?
16. Where did Joey go?
17. Where did he sit?
18. What did the doctor wear?
****
answer:
1. to the doctor
2. yesterday
3. a shot
4. scared
5. it wouldn't hurt.
6. played
7. blocks and car
8. blue and green
9. yes
10. another little boy
11. Bobby
12. yes
13. a little girl
14. Sandy
15. playing with dolls
16. into one of the rooms
17. on a yellow chair
18. glasses.