Closing the gate on her oldest fears as she had closed the gate of her own fenced yard, she discovered the wings she'd always wished she had. And all at once she was elated. What does elated mean?

The Foster women had made a fortress out of duty. Within it, they were indomitable. And Winnie was in training.

There now! Your terrible ordeal is as good as over now, isn't it? I'm so thankful I was here to help you out! What does ordeal mean?

"That's good. Well. I'm going back to bed. Get a good sleep." said Mae. "Alright," said Winnie. But still Mae lingered." What does lingered mean?

The man in the yellow suit was as courteous as always. What does courteous mean?

His face was without expression, but there was something unpleasant behind it that Winnie sensed at once, something that made her instantly suspicious. What does suspicious mean?

...but now, this morning, they were careful with her, a little gingerly, as if she were an egg. What does gingerly mean?

She looked over her shoulder at the dark shape of the gallows, and shuddered. What does shuddered mean?

She had heard first a bustling in the front of the jail, and smelled fresh coffee, and had sat up, stiff with apprehension. What does apprehension mean?

For Tuck's head tilted to one side, his eyes went soft, and the gentlest smile in the world replaced the melancholy creases of his cheeks. What does melancholy mean?

It was a whole new idea to her that people could live in such disarray, but at the same time she was charmed. What does disarray mean?

Winnie, struggling with the anguish of all these things, could only sit hunched and numb, the sound of the water rolling in her ears. What does anguish mean?

...because the rocking made her almost remember something pleasant, something soothing... What does soothing mean?

Mae's face drained of color. Her mouth open. And Tuck said hoarsely, "What you going to do?" What does hoarsely mean?

"Well," said the constable grudgingly, "alright, if you're in such a ding-danged hurry." What does grudgingly mean?

The man in the yellow suit raised his eyebrows and a nervous petulance came into his voice. What does petulance mean?

It was the longest day: mindlessly hot, unspeakably hot, too hot to move or even think. The countryside, the village of Treegap, the wood- all lay defeated. What does defeated mean?

The blacksmith's shop, the mill, the church, the stores, so busy and alive in daylight, were hunched, deserted now, dark piles and shapes without a purpose or a meaning. What does deserted mean?