wife 'u'd act as a
benefit there."

"But there's drawbacks," said Sam, "and there's mother-in-laws, and
there's lendin' a dollar to your brother-in-law."

"The thing to do," said Scattergood, "is to pick one without them
impediments. I also figger," he added, wriggling his bare toes, "that a
feller ought to pick one that could lend a dollar to _your_ brother in
case he needed one."

"Hain't none sich to be found," said Sam.

"I calc'late to look," Scattergood replied.

He had already done his looking. The lady of his choice, tradition says,
was older than he, but this is a base libel. She was not older. She had
not yet reached thirty. Scattergood had first encountered her when she
came to his hardware store to buy a plow. On that occasion her excellent
business judgment and her powers of barter had attracted him strongly.
As a matter of fact, he was a bit in doubt if she hadn't the best of him
on the deal.... Her name was Amanda Randle.

Scattergood gave the matter his best thought, then polished the buggy
as aforesaid, and called.

"Howdy, Miss Randle?" said he, tying to her hitching post.

"Howdy, Mr. Baines?"

"I calculated," said he, "that, bein' as it's a hot night, a buggy ride
might sort of cool you off, after a way of speakin'."

Amanda blushed, for the proffer of a buggy ride was not without definite
significance in that region.

"I'll git my shawl and bonnet," she said.

To the casual eye it would have appeared that Scattergood's summer was
devoted wholly to running his hardware store and to paying court to
Mandy Randle.... But this would not have been so. He was making ready
for the winter--and for the spring that came after it. For in the spring
came the drive, and with the coming of the drive Scattergood foresaw the
coming of trouble. He was not a man to dodge trouble that might bring
profit dangling to the fringe of her skirt.

Coldriver watched with deep interest the progress of Scattergood's suit.
It had figured Mandy as an old maid--for, as has been mentioned, she was
close upon her thirtieth year, which, in a village where eighteen is the
general age for taking a husband, is well along in spinsterhood. It was
late in October when Scattergood "came to scratch," as the local saying
is.

"Mandy," said he, "I calc'late you noticed I been comin' around here
consid'able."

"You have--seems as though," she said, and blushed. It was coming. She
recognized the signs.

"I been a-comin' on p