brought up
differently she would compare favorably with any child in the country.
She _does_ compare favorably in spite of her bringing up. The teacher
says she never had such a bright scholar in all her school experience.
She learns surprisingly quick."

"I don't see anything surprising about that. The Catts are not
ignoramuses, none of them."

"I know that all right. I'm a Catt myself, and while I never set myself
up to be overly quick-witted, I think I have my share of brains, and
might have amounted to something if I had some more education."

"Shucks! What are you always harping on that string for? Education isn't
everything in the world. Tabitha can get all the learning a woman needs
right here in this town."

"Because the girl hankers for knowledge, you are just determined to make
her as miserable as you can, and if she was half as much Catt as you
are, she would grow up just as spiteful and selfish; but thank goodness,
she has some of her mother's traits. If she was a little mite and needed
my care, I would stay, even if I did get killed for my trouble; but she
is big enough now so I can leave without any qualms of conscience, and I
am going to leave. You can do just whatever you like with her, but I
will not stay here for love or money. Find a housekeeper if you can, but
whether or not you do, I am going back East just as soon as I can get my
things packed. I am absolutely unnerved over that snake. I can't turn
around without seeing the thing coiled ready to spring, and that poor
cat chasing around like a thing crazy; and when I shut my eyes there are
whole strings of 'em dancing up and down like all possessed until I am
half wild. That cat never came back and I believe that is a warning. I
am going to follow its example."

No arguments could prevail to change her mind, and she immediately began
packing for her departure.

Poor Mr. Catt, what was he to do? The possibility of Aunt Maria's
leaving them had never occurred to him, in spite of her oft repeated
threats; and now that she had suddenly determined to return to her own
home he was facing anything but an agreeable situation.

It was out of the question for Tabitha to take charge of the
housekeeping and stay there alone much of the time as she would have to
do when he was away. It was equally out of the question to secure a
reliable housekeeper in this little desert town. But the idea of
accepting the hermit's money and sending her away to school w