the barn, and I was deep in both pride and
exhaustion.

"I knew I could do it, but I didn't believe it," I was remarking to myself
in great congratulations when a shadow fell across the light from the door.
I looked up and, behold, Mrs. Silas Beesley loomed up against the sun and
seemed to shine with equal refulgence to my delighted eyes! In her hand she
held a plate covered with a snowy napkin, and her blue eyes danced with
delighted astonishment.

"Well, well, Nancy!" she exclaimed, as she seated herself upon a bench by
the door and began to fan herself with a corner of a snowy kerchief that
crossed her ample bosom. "Looks like you have begun sawing and nailing at
the Craddock family estate pretty early in the action though it's none too
soon, and mighty glad I am to see you do it while there is still a little
odd lumber left. I've always said that it's women folks that prop a family
and it will soon tumble without 'em. I am so glad you've come, honeybunch,
that tears are laughing themselves out of the corner of my eyes." This
time the white kerchief was dabbed over the keen blue eyes.

"Is it all--very--very bad, Mrs.--I mean, Aunt Mary?" I asked, as I laid
down my dull-toothed instrument for the dissection of the plank, and sank
cross-legged on the barn floor in front of her.

"Oh, it might be worse," she answered as she smiled again with resolution.
"Rufus has eleven nice hogs and feed enough for them until summer, thanks
to the help of Adam in tending the ten-acre river-bottom field, which they
made produce more than any one else in the river bend got off of fifty.
Nobody can take the house, because it is hitched on to you with entailment,
and though the croppers have skimmed off all the cream of the land, the
clay bottom of it is obliged to be yours. Now that you and William have
come with a little money the fields can all be restored. Adam will help you
like he did Hiram Wade down the road there. It only cost him about ten
dollars to the acre.

"But--but father and I--that is, Aunt Mary, you know father has lost all
his property and Uncle Cradd assured us that--that there was plenty for us
all at Elmnest," I said in a faltering tone of voice as a feeling of
descending tragedy struck into my heart.

"Cradd and Rufus have lived on hog, head, heels, and tail for over a year,
with nothing else but the corn meal that Rufus trades meat with Silas for.
I thought, honeybunch, when I saw you coming so stylish and b