have anything more to do with her."

For some time after Steve left the house Nannie sat staring in the
direction in which he had disappeared. She was as much amazed as she
had been the day he fought the Andersonvilles, but less elated.

"Well," she said to herself at last, "the upshot of it all is, he's
given Sarah Maria notice. I wonder if he will give me notice next?"

She walked slowly into the kitchen, where a stout, red-faced woman was
at work.

"Bridget," she said, "can you milk?"

"Shure I kin; an' why?"

"Because Mr. Loveland won't milk Sarah Maria any more."

"No more wud I, an' he's stud it so long. Shure he's been loike a lamb
beside her, an' she hookin' him full o' holes till his poor body cud
be used for a sieve."

"Oh, what shall I do!" cried Nannie pettishly. "You're all of you as
mean as you can be! I won't sell her for beef! I just won't!"

"No more you needn't, me darlint! There, now, don't take on so. Shure
it's mesilf'll manage it wid yez somehow, though it's loike the both
of us will nade the praste an' extrame unction before we're t'rough
wid her."

Nothing daunted Nannie sallied forth, followed by Bridget, who
grumbled all the way.

"Faith, in ould Oireland it's mesilf milked twinty cows at wan
sittin', an' they standin' forninst me widout a word loike lambs till
I was ready fer the nixt wan."

"Well, now, that's great!" interrupted Nannie. "Steve has left her
right out here. I wonder why he did that?"

Mrs. Maria stared fixedly at her, once in awhile tossing her horns.
There was a glare in her eye, by the light of which one might read her
thoughts.

"Just here," she was saying to herself, "Steve and I fought to a
finish, and I saw the last of him as he flew through yonder window."

"Set a pail of food forninst her now, Miss Nannie, an' she'll run to
the cow-yard," called Bridget.

This ruse proved successful. As soon as she saw the food the delighted
Sarah kicked up her heels and, flourishing her head in such a manner
that it seemed to comprehend everything in its wide swath, ran into
the cow-yard, where Nannie skillfully lassoed her and tied her to the
fence just as she plunged her nose into the pail.

Meanwhile Bridget, terrified by these lively humors, had started
toward the house, and her desire for speed exceeding her physical
ability, she soon measured her length upon the ground, where she lay,
roaring lustily, under the impression that the enemy was upon her.

"W