Across the road was a stretch of pine woods . There was no house very near except the Tracy one . Stephen reached this conclusion with a bound . He ran out to the yard gate followed by the distracted Alexina . The only person visible was a man some distance down the road . Stephen leaped over the gate and tore down the road in pursuit of him . Alexina went back to the doorstep , sat down upon it , and began to cry . She could n't help it . Her hopes were all in ruins around her . There was no dinner for Uncle James . Josephine Tracy saw her crying . Now , Josie honestly thought that she had a grievance against Alexina . But an Alexina walking unconcernedly by with a cool little nod and her head held high was a very different person from an Alexina sitting on a back doorstep , on Christmas morning , crying . For a moment Josie hesitated . Then she slowly went out and across the yard to the fence . `` What is the trouble ? '' she asked . Alexina forgot that there was such a thing as dignity to be kept up ; or , if she remembered it , she was past caring for such a trifle . `` Our dinner is gone , '' she sobbed . `` And there is nothing to give Uncle James to eat except vegetables -- and I do so want to make a favourable impression ! ''
This was not particularly lucid , but Josie , XXXXX a flying mental leap , arrived at the conclusion that it was very important that Uncle James , whoever he was , should have a dinner , and she knew where one was to be had .
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