grove, drunk and asleep. Upon her informer she bent a
recognition of virtue. It was not exactly a grin. The boarders called it
her barbed-wire smile. She thanked him with a nod and a courtesy caught
up from a memory of her grandmother. She snatched a buggy whip and
sallied forth into the grove. Milford followed her. She told him to
stand back. She swore she would give it to him if he presumed to
interfere. She knew her business. The Lord never shut her eyes to a duty
that lay in front of her. The hired man went howling through the woods,
and she returned to the house, smiling placidly. She was always better
humored when she had kept faith with duty.

"Bill," she said to Milford, "tell those women who you are. They are all
crazy to know."

"Why didn't you tell them?"

"Well, how was I to tell 'em somethin' I didn't know? You haven't told
me. Who are you, Bill? Come, speak up. I've fooled with you long enough.
Come, who are you?"

"A Yankee from the West."

"Shut up. Go on away from here. Who told you to come? Did anybody send
after you?" By this time they had reached the veranda. A kitten came out
to meet her. She called to the Dutch girl to bring some milk in a
saucer. "Poor little wretch," she said. "Well, sir, it do beat all.
About a week ago I found that I'd have to drown a litter of kittens. I
had a barrel of water ready at the corner of the house. I got all the
kittens together except one. I couldn't find him. After a while, I heard
him mewing under the house. I looked under and see him fastened, and he
couldn't get out. He was nearly starved. I said, 'You little wretch,
I'll fix you,' and I crawled under after him. I had a time at gettin'
him, too; and when I did get him he looked so pitiful that I gave him
some milk. Then I gave the others milk, and didn't drown 'em. I have
provided homes for all except this one, and I'm goin' to keep him. Here,
lap your milk."

Old Lewson sat beneath an apple tree. Milford went out to talk with him.
The old man looked up, his eyes red under white lashes. His hat was on
the ground, and in it were two eggs.

"My dinner," said he, pointing to the eggs. "If I didn't listen for the
cackling of the hens I'd starve to death. I can't eat anything but eggs;
and they must be fresh. That infernal Dutch girl spoiled my supper last
night. She ran over me, as usual, and broke my eggs. I wish she was
dead."

"They ought to hobble her like a horse," said Milford.

"They ought to br