"Sure thing."
While Joe knelt before the fireplace, Emma threaded a needle and strung
popcorn on the thread. She draped it gracefully over the tree, then
opened a parcel and took colored ornaments from it. They were the tree
ornaments Emma had had from her mother, and she'd treasured them for
years. The tree sparkled in its new-found glory.
Emma had wrapped the children's presents carefully and separately, and
had written their name on each. She arranged them beside the tree, then
took another armful of wrapped presents out of the trunk. Joe looked at
them, surprised.
"What are they?"
"Barbara's presents. She knitted hats for you, Mr. Snedeker, and Ellis."
"I never saw her knitting."
"How could you when you're away all day long?" She was impatient now.
"Do you want to call them, Joe? Bring all of them."
"Right away."
Not bothering with a coat, Joe ran across the short space that separated
their cabin from the store and entered. A wolf pelt draped over his
shoulders, Tad was leading his brothers in a march among the counters
and baby Emma was playing with a string of bright beads she had found.
Snedeker tilted on a chair beside the fire, watching the children.
Barbara and Ellis sat together on the opposite side of the fireplace,
and Joe did not look too closely at them. Ellis had told him that
Barbara hadn't said no, and it _did_ seem that they sat pretty close
together.