One Saturday, Stephen suggested the five of them take a drive into Vermont. Being the end of May, the weather was perfect.
Jennie's puppy Muffin, which was really no longer a puppy, and Stephen's cocker Charlie, came along, both of them sitting at the open window, their soft fur blowing in the breeze. They happily anticipated the coming summer as they headed down the road toward Weston.
Stephen wondered if some warm day Jennie might like to bicycle with him to the lake and do some sketching. Even though he was by far the better artist, Jennie had just enough ability to work along with him. Several winter evenings they had done this, comparing ideas as they worked by the warm fire.
On this bright May afternoon she detected no change in Stephen as they all roamed through the country shops in Weston. She admitted to herself that with Stephen and Julia along, she could almost feel drawn to the simple, uncomplicated way of life in New England. She knew that back home in San Francisco her friends would probably laugh and think it rather boring to be browsing through a bookstore, munching on a treat from the old bakery, or walking along Main Street and actually enjoying it!
She smiled to herself at the big sign, "Main Street". It seemed there was one in each town in the countryside. Main Street in Weston, Vermont, beckoned to them with its many interesting shops. One in particular, with an ice cream cone painted on the window, especially appealed to them. Stephen led the way and soon Lisa was licking her favorite, chocolate-mint, while he handed cones around to the others. The girls were content to wander through the stores while Jennie and Stephen hurried down the street to a specialty shop where he needed to make a purchase.
Main Street curved where the row of shops ended, rising over a knoll where several homes were nestled under tall shade trees. Typical of a small town, one place even housed a horse and a flock of chickens behind its sturdy fence.
As they continued walking over the knoll Jennie was intrigued by a quaint, cream-colored cottage with a wide porch. Sitting there on a swing, an old, white-haired lady watched them as they climbed the grassy knoll. Apparently she ran the small store inside, with many of her "wares" displayed in the window. Rocking back and forth in the falling dusk of early spring, she eyed them with interest as they came toward her.
Stephen felt a strong compulsion within him to step onto the porch and give the lady a gospel tract, but instead he turned to Jennie and suggested, "Let's wait until we come back. There's probably some item under a dollar in there I could take home to Mother. I'd rather hurry on first to the store, stopping here on our way back."
Jennie knew that Stephen was basically shy about handing out tracts, but she had heard him speak faithfully under favorable circumstances.
She eased her conscience, reasonably certain they would stop and have a brief chat with the woman later. Pulling her sweater about her shoulders in the slight chill of early evening she followed Stephen. And then it happened!
His expression remained unchanged as he turned to her. "Jennie, my parents have agreed to let me go to Oregon for most of the summer. I can't wait to go back and do more mountain climbing. This year I hope to tackle rock climbing, not just backpacking!"
His face was glowing. There was silence. One sentence dissolved her entire summer, erased all her dreams. So, he was choosing to leave! He just wasn't looking forward to the long summer, like she had been.
Entering the specialty shop, Stephen went to the counter and spoke with the owner. Jennie stood back, watching him. His solid build, his gentleness, his easy way with strangers were now all so familiar to her. He was adventuresome, filled with a desire to get away and explore. She knew he would never stop exploring, learning, trying to climb to new heights. He looked back at her for a moment and flashed that winning smile of his, then turned to continue his conversation with the shop owner.
Her father once said that Stephen's special qualities could be mightily used of God if he would truly give his life over to Him. Peter Benton loved Stephen and had already been able to have some good talks with him.
As they walked back toward the knoll and Main Street where the other girls waited, she wondered if after making new friends and being where a larger group was gathered, he would ever be content to return to Jaffrey.
They approached the rise once again where the old woman had been sitting. Jennie had forgotten all about the tract. In fact, she had lost heart for doing much of anything. With both a sense of loss and a sense of relief she noted that the woman was now inside, her "open" sign gone. Stephen wouldn't be able to give her the tract after all.
A swirl of smoke was rising from the chimney, from the fire the old lady had no doubt just lit inside. The opportunity to speak with her would never return.