expenses. The more I think of it, the more I think
Adam Ladd intended Rebecca should have that prize when he gave it." The
mind of Huldah's mother ran towards the idea that her daughter's rights
had been assailed.

"Land, Marthy, what foolishness you talk!" exclaimed Mrs. Perkins; "you
don't suppose he could tell what composition the committee was going to
choose; and why should he offer another fifty dollars for a boy's
prize, if he wan't interested in helpin' along the school? He's give
Emma Jane about the same present as Rebecca every Christmas for five
years; that's the way he does."

"Some time he'll forget one of 'em and give to the other, or drop 'em
both and give to some new girl!" said Delia Weeks, with an experience
born of fifty years of spinsterhood.

"Like as not," assented Mrs. Peter Meserve, "though it's easy to see he
ain't the marryin' kind. There's men that would marry once a year if
their wives would die fast enough, and there's men that seems to want
to live alone."

"If Ladd was a Mormon, I guess he could have every woman in North
Riverboro that's a suitable age, accordin' to what my cousins say,"
remarked Mrs. Perkins.

"'T ain't likely he could be ketched by any North Riverboro girl,"
demurred Mrs. Robinson; "not when he prob'bly has had the pick o'
Boston. I guess Marthy hit it when she said there's men that ain't the
marryin' kind."

"I wouldn't trust any of 'em when Miss Right comes along!" laughed Mrs.
Cobb genially. "You never can tell what 'n' who 's goin' to please 'em.
You know Jeremiah's contrairy horse, Buster? He won't let anybody put
the bit into his mouth if he can help it. He'll fight Jerry, and fight
me, till he has to give in. Rebecca didn't know nothin' about his
tricks, and the other day she went int' the barn to hitch up. I
followed right along, knowing she'd have trouble with the headstall,
and I declare if she wan't pattin' Buster's nose and talkin' to him,
and when she put her little fingers into his mouth he opened it so fur
I thought he'd swaller her, for sure. He jest smacked his lips over the
bit as if 't was a lump o' sugar. 'Land, Rebecca,' I says, 'how'd you
persuade him to take the bit?' 'I didn't,' she says, 'he seemed to want
it; perhaps he's tired of his stall and wants to get out in the fresh
air.'"

XXVII

"THE VISION SPLENDID"

A year had elapsed since Adam Ladd's prize had been discussed over the
teacups in Riverboro. The months had come and go