bluff which overlooked
my little dell, and gradually made a wide trench, which they deepened
until--and I am afraid to say how long they worked before this was
done--they could walk to the original pit from the level of the dell.
They then deepened the inner end of the trench, wheeling out the gravel
in barrows, until they had made an inclined pathway from the dell to the
bottom of the pit. The wheeling now became difficult, and the men soon
declared that they were sure that they had quite gravel enough.

When they made this announcement, and I had gone into some financial
calculations, I found that I would be obliged to put an end to my
operations, at least for the present, for my available funds were gone,
or would be when I had paid what I owed for the work. The men were
very much disappointed by the sudden ending of this good job, but they
departed, and I was left to gaze upon a vast amount of gravel, of which,
for the present at least, I could not afford to make the slightest use.

The mental despondency which had been somewhat lightened during my
excavating operations now returned, and I became rather more gloomy and
downcast than before. My cook declared that it was of no use to prepare
meals which I never ate, and suggested that it would save money if I
discharged her. As I had not paid her anything for a long time, I did
not see how this would benefit me.

Wandering about one day with my hat pulled down over my eyes and my
hands thrust deep into my pockets, I strolled into the dell and stood
before the wide trench which led to the pit in which I had foolishly
sunk the money which should have supported me for months. I entered this
dismal passage and walked slowly and carefully down the incline until I
reached the bottom of the original pit, where I had never been before.
I stood here looking up and around me and wondering how men could bring
themselves to dig down into such dreary depths simply for the sake of
a few dollars a week, when I involuntarily began to stamp my feet. They
were very cold, although I had not been there more than a minute. I
wondered at this and took up some of the loose gravel in my hand. It was
quite dry, but it chilled my fingers. I did not understand it, and I did
not try to, but walked up the trench and around into the dell, thinking
of Agnes.

I was very fond of milk, which, indeed, was almost the only food I now
cared for, and I was consequently much disappointed at my noonday