ndsome, some folks called her. I never
c'd see it. Her people were a queer crowd and Min was never brung up
right--jest let run wild all her life. Well, Rod Palmer took to
dancin' attendance on her. Rod was a worthless scamp. Old Palmer was
well off and Rod was his only child, but this Rose lived there and
kept house for them after Mis' Palmer died. She was a quiet,
well-behaved little creetur. Folks said the old man wanted Rod to
marry her--dunno if 'twas so or not. In the end, howsomever, he had
to marry Min. Her brother got after him with a horse-whip, ye
understand. Old Palmer was furious but he had to give in and Rod
brought her home. She was a bit sobered down by her trouble and lived
quiet and sullen-like at first. Her and Rod fought like cat and dog.
Rose married Osh Fuller, a worthless, drunken fellow. He died in a
year or so and left Rose and her baby without a roof over their heads.
Then old Palmer went and brought her home. He set great store by Rose
and he c'dn't bear Min. Min had to be civil to Rose as long as old
Palmer lived. Fin'lly Rod up and died and 'twasn't long before his
father went too. Then the queer part came in. Everyone expected that
he'd purvide well for Rose and Min'd come in second best. But no will
was to be found. I don't say but what it was all right, mind you. I
may have my own secret opinion, of course. Old Palmer had a regular
mania, as ye might say, for makin' wills. He'd have a lawyer out from
town every year and have a new will made and the old one burnt. Lawyer
Bell was there and made one 'bout eight months 'fore he died. It was
s'posed he'd destroyed it and then died 'fore he'd time to make
another. He went off awful sudden. Anyway, everything went to Min's
child--to Min as ye might say. She's been boss. Rose still stayed on
there and Min let her, which was more than folks expected of her. But
she's turned her out at last. Min's in one of her tantrums now and
'tain't safe to cross her path."

"What is Mrs. Fuller to do?" asked Telford anxiously.

"That's the question. She's sickly--can't work much--and then she has
her leetle gal. Min was always jealous of that child. It's a real
purty, smart leetle creetur and old Palmer made a lot of it. Min's own
is an awful-looking thing--a cripple from the time 'twas born. There's
no doubt 'twas a jedgement on her. As for Rose, no doubt the god of
the widow and fatherless will purvide for her."

In spite of his disgust, Telford could not