_ speak to her."

"It's odd where the money went," continued father. "You know I borrowed
his wagon to go to town, a few minutes after he came home. He said he
put the package on the wagon-seat, and got out to unharness the horse.
Before he had done so, Elijah Bangs came in at the south door of the
barn, all excitement about his sick cow. He wanted Ridlet to see the
animal--he had been so unlucky about curing his own sick cattle. While
they were talking, I came in to borrow the wagon. Ridlet, who was going
off with Bangs, said 'Yes,' hurriedly, forgetting all about the silver
dollars, so he says; and he says nobody came into the barn but me and
Mr. Bangs, and, as Bangs came in at the south door, he wasn't near the
wagon. Ridlet never thought of the silver till he was half-way to Mr.
Bangs'; but he did not worry, knowing it was safe with me."

"Did he say, out-and-out, you'd taken it?" asked mother.

"No; but he said it was mighty queer a man could miss seeing a package
as big as that. There was no use looking for it, or advertising for it;
he knew that it was on that wagon-seat. I fired up and said, 'Do you
think I took it?' He didn't answer; and that settled it."

"Well, if ever he does find it, I'll never have anything to do with
them," said mother. "Suspect you of keeping her fork-money!"

"It's very odd where it went," repeated father.

"I am glad you've spoken at last. It's been on my mind more than
anything. I thought you might have misunderstood him, and was over
touchy; but--her money!"

Father made no reply; and from that time mother stopped looking down the
road.

Finding out just what Mr. Ridlet accused father of, made the
estrangement between Bub and me seem worse. Our going together would
never be fixed up now. I had hoped our fathers would, some time, settle
things. It was tough. I couldn't put my mind to anything, mother
noticed.

"What's the matter, Seth?" she asked. "Aren't you well?" she went on,
seeing I didn't answer. "You don't eat much, and you are moping all the
time. How would you like your Cousin Mel to visit you a while?"

I rushed off. Mel was a real softy, with shining shoes, slick hair, and
all that. About as ready to go on a tramp as a girl. I couldn't bear the
thought of him.

I went under the grape vine that grows over the trellis between Mr.
Ridlet's garden and ours.

I threw myself down, looking up into the leaves, making a mat overhead,
and counting the green bunches, as