Holly Court still smoked
sulkily, and here and there in its black ruins some special object
flamed brightly: Nancy's linen chest and the pineapple bed went on
burning when the other things were done. It was nearly sunset when
the Bradleys walked slowly about the wreck, and laughed or
bemoaned themselves as they recognized what was gone, or what was
left.
Chapter Thirty-six
That night they slept in the garage. With a flash of her old
independence, Nancy so decided it. She was firm in declining the
hospitable offers that would have scattered the Bradleys among the
neighbouring homes for the night.
"No, no--we're all together," Nancy said, smiling. "I don't want
to separate again, for a while." She calmly estimated the salvage-
-beds and bedding, some chairs, rugs, and small tables, tumbled
heaps of the children's clothes, and odd lots of china and glass.
Priscilla was presently set to amuse herself, on a rug on the
lawn, and the enraptured children and Agnes and the new puppy
bustled joyfully about among the heterogeneous possessions of the
evicted family, under Nancy's direction. There was much hilarity,
as the new settling began, the boys were miracles of obedience and
intelligence, and Anne laughed some colour into her face for the
first time in weeks.
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