Page:Old ninety-nine's cave.djvu/37

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  • bird's voice was heard imitating first one bird

and then another. Just as they were leaving the lake behind them, Mr. De Vere turned for a last look and said, "Farewell to Crevecœur! No more does that word to me mean 'broken heart,' but 'grateful heart.'"

A little after noon they reached St. Louis where they were met by Doctor Hoff, and after again and again thanking him for all his kindness, the De Veres said good-bye to Missouri and soon were speeding northward.

Mr. De Vere's brother-in-law, Peter Brown, met them at a hamlet west of the Shawangunks which they had crossed by stage from Middleburgh, bundled them into his great wagon, cracked his whip over his horses' heads and in a little over an hour set them down at his home in Greenmeadow. Oh, that welcome home! Can words describe it? Dear old mother, with her silver hair, forgot all differences and the welcome accorded her 'baby's' wife made Bessie feel that she was one of them in very truth.

Peter Brown was a generous provider,