I feel
nervous myself. I think we'll have a gust before night."
The last words were spoken in an undertone, but the quick ear of Gertrude
caught them. "Then I shan't go to school," she announced decidedly.
"Nonsense," said her mother, "'twon't be here till afternoon; probably not
till night, if at all."
"Now, ma, you're just saying that. Aunt Elsie, do you really think it
won't come soon?"
Glancing through the open window at the mountains and the sky, Elsie
answered that she saw no present indications of a storm; there was nothing
to betoken it but the heat and closeness of the air.
"Are you afraid of thunder, Aunt Elsie?" asked Harry.
"Lightning, you silly boy," corrected Gertrude, "nobody's afraid of
thunder."
"Yes, you are," he retorted. "You just ought to see, Ed, how scared she
gets," and Harry laughed scornfully.
Gertrude was ready with an indignant retort, but her mother stopped her.
"If you are really brave, Gertrude, you can have an excellent opportunity
to show it when the storm comes." Then to Harry, "Let your sister alone,
or I'll send you from the room."
The gust, a very severe one, came in the afternoon.
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