Marigolds (short story)
why did the need an ostensible reason to stop before continuing to miss lottie's house
Reason
Reason
They needed to plan a strategy and bolster their courage:
A little cloud of dust followed our thin legs and bare feet as we tramped over the barren land. When Miss Lottieās house came into view we stopped, ostensibly to plan our strategy, but actually to reinforce our courage.