Suspiciously, Penelope followed the direction of Nell’s gaze and saw the solitary figure of a woman, shoulders drooping, making her way slowly—exhaustedly, if appearance were true—toward the house through the orchard. Penelope rose, as if standing would afford her a clearer view. “Well, dear Lord above us, it is!” she exclaimed. “It is Lauretta!”

“You see!” Nell declared triumphantly, as if vindicated of some doubt or aspersion. With the help of her cane, she too stood.

Penelope called, “Selma, will you look there who’s coming up the drive!”

Selma stood, and then Pauline, so that the four women all were standing staring at the woman approaching them with her head bowed. She did not acknowledge that she saw them until she reached the short brick walk directly in front of the porch. Covered with dust, trembling with fatigue or emotion, or possibly both, she then raised her eyes and looked at them.

“Yes, it is I,” Lauretta said as they continued to stare. “A refugee from the North. Cast out from there. Penniless and near to—” She did not finish, for she fainted. At any rate she closed her eyes and collapsed in a heap, and Selma and Pauline dropped their sewing, which they had continued to hold when they rose from their chairs and ran to lift her and support her up the steps to the porch. At that moment Sarah emerged from the center hallway and saw her sister. “Oh, dear God!” she exclaimed, and then burst into laughter.

Ruffled feathers smoothed, dress, corset, and shoes removed, face and hands washed, Lauretta lay on the chaise longue in Sarah’s room. Her energies had been somewhat revived by her drinking three glasses of wine and eating a plate of cold fried chicken and pickled peaches which Myrtis herself had brought up out of curiosity, when food was ordered. So far, Lauretta had spoken only sketchily of how she happened to come there, and Sarah had not pressed her. But now, satisfied that Lauretta was not ill, had been fed, and appeared no longer to be unduly fatigued, Sarah drew a chair close to the chaise and sat down on it.