Then , one evening , I saw Emmeline striding over the field below our house . As soon as she was out of sight I ran through the birch grove to Prissy . `` Yes , Em ` line 's gone to sit up with Jane Lawson to-night , '' said Prissy , all fluttered and trembling . `` Then you put on your muslin dress and fix your hair , '' I said . `` I 'm going home to get Thomas to tie something to that ventilator . '' But do you think Thomas would do it ? Not he . He said he owed something to his position as elder in the church . In the end I had to do it myself , though I do n't like climbing ladders . I tied Thomas ' long red woollen scarf to the ventilator , and prayed that Stephen would see it . He did , for in less than an hour he drove down our lane and put his horse in our barn . He was all spruced up , and as nervous and excited as a schoolboy . He went right over to Prissy , and I began to tuft my new comfort with a clear conscience . I shall never know why it suddenly came into my head to go up to the garret and make sure that the moths had n't got into my box of blankets ; but I always believed that it was a special interposition of Providence . I went up and happened to look out of the east window ; and there I saw Emmeline Strong coming home across our pond field . I just flew down those garret stairs and out through the birches . I burst into the Strong kitchen , where Stephen and Prissy were sitting as cozy as you please . `` Stephen , come quick ! Emmeline 's nearly here , '' I cried . Prissy looked out of the window and wrung her hands .
`` Oh , she 's in the XXXXX now , '' she gasped .
barn church field hands head lane moths scarf schoolboy ventilator