For the rest of the afternoon, Hanna studied her lessons and responded when called on. She answered questions in geography and history, worked problems in long division, and began memorizing the first table of four-syllable words in the speller.

The schoolroom was quiet and orderly. There was no chatter or laughter. It was an ordinary afternoon for the students of the LaForge school, and Hanna enjoyed reading and reciting the lessons so much that she didn’t want the day to end.

The warmth of her contentment continued once she was at home, through afternoon chores and supper. She was so full of the news of her day, she skated right over the fact that Papa hardly said a word.

Then they heard a knock on the door, and from the way he looked up, she knew he’d been expecting it.

7

PAPA OPENED THE DOOR, with Hanna behind him.

“Evening, Edmunds.”

It was Mr. Harris.

“I’ll be right along,” Papa said.

“We’re meeting at the depot. I’ll wait for you out here.”

Papa closed the door and took his hat from the wall peg. Hanna noticed then that he was wearing his good white shirt, and that his hair was carefully combed. He looked back at her and shrugged.

“Harris came by the shop site this afternoon,” he said. “A couple of folks have been to see him, about your being in school. So the school board called a meeting tonight.”

Hanna reached for her bonnet.

“What do you think you’re about? You stay right here, young lady. Harris wants me to attend the meeting, but he and the other board members and Miss Walters are going to do the talking, and that’s as it should be.” He opened the door. “Don’t wait up,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ll tell you about it in the morning.”

The sun had not yet set, so Hanna could see the two men walking up the street toward the depot at the north end of town.

The depot stood next to the railroad tracks. It had windows in all four walls. If she crouched down between two of the windows, she would probably be able to hear through the chinks in the boards.

As she tied on her bonnet, she felt a twinge of regret about disobeying Papa. It was her duty and responsibility to obey him. But there were times when she simply couldn’t, and over the past year or so, those times had become more frequent.