her in earnest conversation.

To my surprise, the Steins went directly to their own room; and grandma
did not speak, but closed her eyes as she passed me. That was her way,
and I knew that it would be useless to ask what had offended her. So I
took my milk pails, and, wondering, went to the cow corrals. I could
not imagine what had happened, yet felt hurt and uncomfortable.

Returning with the milk, I saw Johnnie playing by the tree, too near
the horse's feet, and warned him. As he moved, grandma stepped forward
and stood in front of me, her face white with rage. I set my buckets
down and standing between them listened as she said in German:

"Oh, false one, thou didst not think this morning that I would so soon
find thee out. Thou wast not smart enough to see that my friend, Mrs.
Stein, was studying thee, so that she could let me know what kind of
children I had around me. And thou, like a snake in the grass, hast
been sticking out thy tongue behind my back. Thou pretendest that thou
art not staying here to get my money and property, yet thou couldst
tell her all I had. Thou wouldst not read all in the letters from thy
fine sisters? Thou wouldst rather stay here until I die and then be
rich and spend it with them!"

She stopped as if to catch her breath, and I could only answer,
"Grandma, I have not done what thou sayest."

She continued: "I have invited people to come here this night, and thou
shalt stand before them and listen while I tell what I have done for
thee, and how thou hast thanked me. Now, go, finish thy work, eat thy
supper, and come when I call thee."

I heard her call, but don't know how I got into the room, nor before
how many I stood. I know that my head throbbed and my feet almost
refused to support my body, as I listened to grandma, who in forceful
language declared that she had taken me, a starveling, and reared me
until I was almost as tall as she herself; that she had loved and
trusted me, and taught me everything I knew, and that I had that day
blackened the home that had sheltered me, wounded the hand that had fed
me, and proved myself unworthy the love that had been showered upon
me. Mrs. Stein helped her through an account of our morning chat,
misconstruing all that had passed between us.

I remained silent until the latter had announced that almost the first
thing that she had noticed was that we children were of a selfish,
jealous disposition, and that Georgia was very cross when her