he's the
only person in the world who can hold out for a principle, he's mistaken.
I've got a will that can match his, match his an' beat it, too, an' he'll
learn it sometime. I can put up with seein' that wall just as long as he
can."

A light of understanding began to break in on Lucy's bewilderment.

"I don't see----" she began, then halted before her aunt's stern gaze.

"You don't see what? Out with it."

"I don't see why you couldn't build it up together."

"You don't!" sneered Ellen contemptuously, "You'd help those Howes fix
their wall, I s'pose, same's you'd go an' buy their eggs."

The withering intonation of the words echoed through the room.

"I'm goin' to tell you right now, Lucy Webster, that if you have a spark
of pride, an atom of regard for your father, your grandfather, or your
great-grandfather, you'll put all such notions as that plumb out of your
head. You'll have no dealin's with the Howes. You'll just hate 'em as your
folks have always hated 'em; an' you'll vow from now on that if Heaven
ever gives you the chance you'll get even with 'em." The tense voice
ceased.

Through the stillness the whispers of the great elm on the lawn could be
heard blending with the song of a vesper sparrow. Already twilight had
folded the valley in mystery until only the peaks of the hills were tipped
with light.

Contrasted with the peace of the night, man's strivings seemed peculiarly
out of harmony. But to Ellen's heart the scene brought no tranquillity.

"Now you know what your duty is," she concluded, with a final vindictive
outburst.

"If it is my duty," the girl answered, her eyes still upon the distant
landscape.

"Of course it's your duty. There ain't no question about that."

"Each of us must settle with his own conscience what his duty is," Lucy
observed slowly.

"Not if it's been handed down to him," put in Ellen quickly. "I guess your
duty's chalked out for you pretty plain; an' I reckon if you're any sort
of a Webster you'll do it an' not go branchin' off followin' notions of
your own--not after all these years."

"I don't believe in keeping up traditions unless they are good ones."

The older woman's lips tightened.

"You mean you'd break off from what your folks thought?"

"If I felt it to be right, yes."

Ellen drew a quick, impatient breath.

"You mean to say you'd set yourself up as knowin' mor'n your people before
you did?"

"I believe each generation grows wiser, or ought t