You know who happened to be Nell's neighbor, Sarah. She lived in a beaten up cottage with her two cats, Paul and Luke, near the road that ran down the hill to Nell's. Eunuchs, Paul and Luke were as plump and sleek as Sarah was bony and frowsy looking. They went shopping with her in Westport, and from the front seat in her car arrogantly eyed everyone who passed the car. Sarah did more window shopping than actual buying. She never missed a movie, and had read practically every book in the town's small library. Nell often thought what a smart dress and hair styling would do for her. She tried to be friendly with her but Sarah never unbent; yet many times she'd seen her in the woods between their places whenever she, Nell, had guests.

This morning Sarah didn't know Nell was home until she saw Gene drive by on his way to town. Then in her bulky turtle neck sweater, faded plaid wool skirt and high leather boots, with the cats behind her, she cautiously picked her way thru the brush to within a few yards of the cabin. From behind an oak she watched the twins measuring and sawing boards. Champ, on his haunches near them, pricked up his ears. His nose had detected the cats, then he saw them. With a yelp he bounded toward them. Up the tree they slithered. Sarah grabbed a stick to chase him away but Champ refused to be chased. Edna heard the commotion. She rushed out of the cabin and up to Sarah. She called for Ned to take Champ back to the cabin. "I'm awfully sorry," she said to Sarah, then looking up at the cats, "They're beautiful. You must love them." Sarah, wide eyed, stared at her. "You're Miss Millay, aren't you," she timidly managed.

"One and the same," Edna answered with her little girl smile. "How did you know?"

your.

"I have two pictures of you. One taken at Vassar, the time you acted in play The Princess Marries the Page. The other shows you with your graduating class. My niece, Millicent Saunders, is standing near you. I haven't seen her for years but I sent her a graduation present just the same. Instead of a letter she mailed me the pictures. I always buy the magazines that print your poems. I know every poem by heart."

Edna took Sarah to the cabin. She made coffee for her and spiked it with hot rum. It loosened Sarah's tongue. She told about her family in Worcester, how it ridiculed everything she did, everything she wore and made her the butt of jokes among the townspeople. She had to get away from them and everyone. For a short time her cottage was a haven, then she became lonely, very lonely, but she had grown afraid of people and didn't know how to approach them. Edna put her arm around Sarah's shoulder and hugged her.

Tears filled Sarah's eyes, and she thought of a verse in a poem Edna wrote about Edna's mother's brooch.

Oh, if instead she'd left to me The thing she took into the grave!— That courage like a rock, which she

Had no more need of, and I have-

That afternoon Edna and Gene took Sarah to Westport. They returned with the back of the truck piled with boxes of dresses, underwear, hats, slippers and fresh fish for Paul and Luke.

We We were very tired, we were very merry-

We'd gone back and forth all night on the ferry

13