The laughter that followed was interrupted by a sudden barking of the dogs in the outer clearing.

Zenobia rose lazily and strode to the window.

It relieved Hale of certain embarrassing reflections suggested by her comment.
"Ef it ain't that God-forsaken fool Dick bringing up passengers from the snow-bound up stage in the road! I reckon I'VE got suthin' to say to that!" But the later appearance of the apologetic Dick, with the assurance that the party carried a permission from her father, granted at the lower station in view of such an emergency, checked her active opposition.

"That's like Paw," she soliloquized aggrievedly; "shuttin' us up and settin' dogs on everybody for a week, and then lettin' the whole stage service pass through one door and out at another.

Well, it's HIS house and HIS whiskey, and they kin take it, but they don't get me to help 'em." They certainly were not a prepossessing or good-natured acquisition to the party.