I don't know but what they ties 'em up with
a blew ribbin.'"

"Get out!" growled Grandfather.

"Can't, jest yet, Squire, not t'll I've done. Anyway, I figgered it off
to her, an' she was kinder consoled up to think on 't; for I told her I
thought likely you'd buy her cow, an' when we come to do the tradin'
part, why, con-found it! she wa'n't no more fit to buy an' sell a
critter than my three-year-old Hepsy. I said a piece back I ha'n't got
much natur', an' a man that trades dumb beasts the biggest part o' the
time hedn't oughter hev; but I swan to man! natur' was too much for me
this time; I couldn't no more ha' bought that cow cheap than I could ha'
sold my old gran'ther to a tin-peddler. Somehow, she was so innocent,
an' she felt so to part with the critter, an' then she let me know 't
George was in the army; an' thinks I, I guess I'll help the Gov'ment
along some; I can't fight, 'cause I'm subject to rheumatiz in my back,
but I can look out for them that can; so, take the hull on 't, long an'
broad, why, I up an' gin her seventy-five dollars for that cow,--an' I'd
ha' gin twenty more not to ha' seen Miss Adams's face a-lookin' arter me
an' her when we went away from the door.

"So now, Squire, you can take her or leave her."

Aaron Stow knew his man. Squire Hollis pulled out his pocket-book and
paid seventy-five dollars on the spot for a native cow called Biddy.

"Now clear out with your Ayrshires!" said he, irascibly. "I'm a fool,
but I won't buy them, too."

"Well, Squire, good day," said Aaron, with a grin.

But I am credibly informed that the next week he did come back with the
two Ayrshires, and sold them to Grandfather, remarking to the farmer
that he "should ha' been a darned fool to take the old gentleman at his
word; for he never knowed a man hanker arter harnsome stock but what he
bought it, fust or last."

Now I also discovered that the regiment George enlisted in was one whose
Colonel I knew well: so I wrote and asked about Sergeant Adams. My
report was highly honorable to George, but had some bad news in it: he
had been severely wounded in the right leg, and, though recovering,
would be disabled from further service. A fortnight after I drove into
Hanerford with Grandfather Hollis, and we stopped at the old bakery. It
looked exquisitely neat in the shop, as well as prosperous externally,
and Dely stood behind the counter with a lovely child in her arms.
Grandfather bought about half a bushel of