Disguised in these, she was to be smuggled away on a night train to
prevent her being discovered and taken back to the asylum. They were the
more concerned about the matter because Mr. Collins heard at the
blacksmith shop new inquiries about the lost child. Miss Dorcas charged
Charity and Richard, who trudged the long eight miles to visit their
"precious baby child," not to mention having seen Anne. Richard brought
on his shoulder a great bag full of things "for Marse Will Watkins's
child"--apples, popcorn, potatoes. For days Mrs. Collins had been baking
cakes and pies and selecting sweetmeats, preserves, and pickles from her
store. The supplies were so liberal that after a barrel was packed and
repacked and re-repacked there were almost as many things left out as
were put in. Mrs. Collins wanted to put them in another barrel, but Miss
Dorcas said that the supply already packed would more than fill her tiny
pantry.
Mrs. Collins consoled herself as best she could. "Christmas is coming,"
she said; "it's slow but it's on the way. And when it do get here, I'll
send you a barrel packed to show you what a barrel can hold."
The morning after Anne's regretful farewell to her old home and her new
friends, found her eagerly examining her cousin's small apartment in
Georgetown.
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