ing
up saw Reverdy and Sarah. He was in the saddle, she was riding behind. I
was about to ask for Zoe when I saw her peeping mischievously around the
shoulder of Sarah, showing her white teeth in a happy smile. It was not
Reverdy's Indian pony that was carrying so many travelers, but a larger
horse. They all got down and came in to see my hut. Sarah was greatly
pleased with it, and Zoe could not contain her delight. Reverdy and
Sarah were on their way to Winchester to pay a brief visit to Sarah's
aunt. They were soon off, Reverdy giving me the assurance that it would
only be a few days before he would again be at work on my new house.
Meanwhile the other men would continue getting the logs.

Zoe did not delay a minute in taking charge of the house. I had not
cleared the breakfast table. She did so, then made my bed. I told her to
spread it with clean sheets as it was to be hers now, but she would not
hear to this. She was afraid to be on the ground floor where an intruder
could walk in upon her, or a stray wolf push the door open and wake her
with its unfriendly nose against her cheek. I told her then to look at
the loft. She climbed the ladder and took a peek, descended with the
remark that she liked it and would take it for hers. Almost at once we
had perfect order in the hut.

Zoe cooked, and cleaned the rooms. I was busy with my new dwelling. I
killed enough game to keep us in meat. Sometimes standing in the doorway
I could bring down a deer. Then we had venison. But we were never
without quail and ducks and geese. Zoe made the most delicious
cornbread, baking it in a pan in the fireplace. The Engles brought us
some cider. I had bought a fiddle and was learning to play upon it. We
never lacked for diversion. In the evenings I played, or we read. My
days were full of duties connected with the new house, or the crops and
improvements for the next year. And spring would soon be here.

I was beginning to be looked upon as a driving man. They had scoffed at
me as a young Englishman who could not endure the frontier life, and who
knew nothing of farming. But they saw me take hold with so much vigor
and interest that I was soon spoken of as an immediate success. My
coming to the hut and living and doing for myself had helped greatly to
confirm me in their esteem. I saw nothing hazardous or courageous in it.
As for the daily life I could not have been more happily placed.

The fall went by. The winter descended. The broo