The doctor was saying:
"They say he is lurking just over the York border at Lebanon. There
are four or five score ruffians with him, who breathe out threatenings
and slaughter against us Stockbridge people but I think we need lose
no sleep on that account for the knaves will scarcely care to risk
their necks on Massachusetts soil."
"It is possible," said Edwards, "that they may make some descents on
Egremont or Sheffield or other points just across the line, but they
will never venture so far inland as Stockbridge for fear of being cut
off, and if they do our militia is quite able for them. What mischief
they can do safely they will do, but nothing else for they are arrant
cowards when all's said."
The talk of the gentlemen branched off upon other topics, but Desire
did not follow it further, finding in what had just been said quite
enough to engross her thoughts. Of course there could be no real
danger that Hamlin would venture a visit to Stockbridge, since both
her father and the doctor scouted the idea; but there was in the mere
suggestion enough to be very agitating. To avoid the possibility of a
meeting with Hamlin, as well as to acquit her conscience of a goading
conviction of unfairness to him, she had already once risked
compromising herself by sending that midnight warning to Lee, nor did
she grudge the three weeks' sickness it cost her, seeing it had
succeeded.
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