"Grandfather! Stella!" came from the one side in a moment, and "Girls! Girls!" from the other, as the four met and embraced.
"We knew somebody would be here to meet us," said Esther, when they had taken another breath and a good look at each other; "but I'd no idea it would be you, grandfather."
"Hm," said the old gentleman, evidently enjoying her surprise. "Mebbe you thought I'd be propped up in a big chair waiting for you at the house."
"If you knew the state of mind he's been in since morning!" said Stella. "We got Uncle Doctor's telegram early, saying you'd be here on this train, and grandfather seemed to regard it as a summons to start for you at once. Mother and I had hard work to hold him back at all, and in spite of us he would start an hour before time this afternoon; actually hurried his horse to get here, too," she added, glancing with a little grimace at the fattest of family horses which was standing before the two-seated carriage at the side of the depot. "I shudder to think what would have happened to him if you hadn't come."
She was saying this last to Esther privately. The old gentleman had started briskly off with Kate to look after the trunks. These were to follow to the farm in a spring wagon, and securing them was a matter involving so little delay at this quiet station that the four were very shortly on their way behind the gray nag, which, after receiving an admonishing "cluck" at starting off, was allowed to settle to his own jog-trot without further attention. They made a long circuit through the main street of the village, the old gentleman bowing and smiling to every one he met, and obviously eager to attract attention. But as the houses grew more scattering he laid the reins across his lap, put on a pair of spectacles, and for a full minute gazed through them steadily at his granddaughters.
"You look as your mother did at your age; wonderfully like," he said, with his eyes on Esther's face, "and you, too, but not so much," he added more slowly, turning to Kate. He took off his spectacles and returned them to an old-fashioned steel case; then asked, with much deliberation, "And what do you think of your old grandfather?"
"Why, you look just as I thought you did, only so very much younger," replied Esther. "I'd no idea you were so strong and active." She paused an instant, then, with a charming eagerness in her voice, added: "You make me think of the 'Farmer of Tilsbury Vale.' You know the poem says,--