ner. He was a better man."

For an instant she looked at him steadily, while living honesty
struggled in her bosom against loyalty to the dead.

"No, Reuben, Abner was not a better man," she said presently, as if the
words were thrust out of her by a chastening conscience. "My pride kept
me up after I had married him; but he was born shiftless an' he died
shiftless. He never did a day's work in his life that I didn't drive him
to. His children have never known how it was, for I've al'ays made 'em
think he was a hard worker an' painstakin' to keep back his laziness
from croppin' out in 'em, if I could."

"You've brought 'em up well. That's a fine son of yours that comes
courtin' my gal, Sarah. I've hoped she'd fancy him for the sake of old
times."

"I never thought of yo' recollectin' that feelin', Reuben. It makes me
feel almost young again, an' I that old an' wo' out. I've had a hard
life--thar's no disputin' it, marriage is mostly puttin' up with things,
I reckon, when it ain't makin' believe."

"Thar's mighty few that gits the one that's meant for 'em," said Reuben,
"that's sure enough. If we did we'd stop movin' forward, I suppose, an'
begin to balk. I haven't much life now, except in Molly, an' it's the
things that pleases or hurt her that I feel the most. She's got a warm
heart an' a hot temper like you used to have, Sarah, an' the world ain't
easy generally to yo' sort."

For a time Sarah was silent, her hands in their black woolen gloves
gripping the handle of the basket.

"Well, I must be goin', Reuben," she said presently, rising from her
chair. "I'm sorry about yo' chest, an' I jest stepped over to bring you
this glass of currant jelly I made last summer. It goes well with meat
when yo' appetite ain't hearty."

She held out her hand, shook his with a hurried and awkward movement,
and went out of the front door and down the flagged walk as Molly's
steps were heard in the kitchen at the back.

"Sarah Revercomb has been here, honey," said Reuben. "She brought me
over this glass of currant jelly, and said she was sorry to miss you."

"Why, what could she have meant?" asked Molly. "She hates me and she
knows I've never liked her."

"Like most folks it ain't Sarah but the way you take her that matters.
We've all got the split somewhar in our shell if you jest know how to
find it. I reckon she's given in about Abel an' came over to show it."

"I'm glad she brought you the jelly, and perhaps she is gett