m Swaim saved us from a lot
of disgrace, and persuaded us to come West an' start over, an' helped us
a lot. I couldn't break myself of wrong-doing just by changing climate,
though. We tried Indiany first an' failed, then we come to S'liny,
Kansas, next an' then we come on here. An' at last Theodore give me up
an' went off alone an' changed his name. Mr. Lenwell's folks here is
distant relatives, but they never would 'a' knowed Theodore. Didn't know
he'd never got a divorce, and never stop supportin' me; like he'd said
when we was married, he'd 'keep me unto death,' you know; and he'd come
to see me once in a while, to be sure I wasn't needin' nothin'. I jus'
worked along at one thing or another, an' Teddy earnt money an' paid it
in to York Macpherson, like a pension, an' he paid me, York did. But
Teddy wouldn't never live with me, though he never told York why. An'
when I took things--"

Mrs. Bahrr paused and looked at Jerry deprecatingly.

"Like that silver cup I saw down at the deep hole?" Jerry asked,
encouragingly.

"Yes, like that. I seen you down there that day. I was the woman that
passed your car--"

"I know it," Jerry said, "I remember your sunbonnet and gray-green
dress. I've often seen both since."

"Yes, an' you remember, too, the time I come out on the porch sudden when
you first come here, an' made you promise not to tell." Mrs. Bahrr's
voice quavered now.

"An' 'cause I knowed Teddy'd bring that right back to Macpherson's and
you'd remember it, an' 'cause you were Jim Swaim's child that knowed my
fault an' made me do what I didn't want to do, even if I was in the
wrong, I hated you an' vowed to myself I'd fix you. It was me slipped
into your room an' stuck Laury's purse into your beaded hand-bag, an' it
was me took your roll of money from your own purse. Teddy took it away,
though, that very night. Teddy he'd take whatever I picked up an'
pretend he'd sell it, but he'd git it back to 'em some way if he could;
an' he's saved an' sold fish an' lived a hermit life an' never told on
me. He's slipped up to town to git me to put back or let him put back
what I was tempted to pilfer, 'cause it seemed I just couldn't help it.
York's been awful patient with me, too. But I can't set here an' be a
woman and see Teddy shieldin' me, a hypocrite, an' her shieldin' him,
an' not tellin' on me, like wimmen does on wimmen generally, an' not
make a clean breast of it. An' if you'll not tell on me, an' all help
me, I