CHAPTER 15That Sunday after church I again had dinner at the Wisler home. The pastor wasn’t there, having left after church for a week-long revival in Wytheville. I could tell Nellie was unusually quiet during the meal, and I assumed it was because she felt uncomfortable not having her father there, although we were well chaperoned by all of her siblings.
When she walked me to the wagon just at dusk, she looked at me with doe-ish eyes. She had again began wearing print dresses rather than the black mourning dresses.
“There’s no school tomorrow,” she said, casting her eyes down. “Annie said she’d come over and keep the children, if you’d like to take a ride down to Pilot Mountain for a picnic.”
I stood speechless for a few seconds.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her cheeks flushing red, “Th
