eplied; and she did not look up at him. "But please
don't worry over me; don't feel that you have to do something. Mother is
going with me, and after that you may know what I intend to do. Please
don't urge me. Let me have my way just a little longer."

He stepped back from her and Mrs. Cranceford took her arm and led her
away. The Major slowly followed them. He felt the inquisitive look of a
neighbor, and his shoulders stiffened.

In a buggy the mother and the daughter had followed the hearse; the
Major, Tom and big Jim Taylor were driven in the family carriage. Louise
was to go back to the desolate house. The Major stoutly opposed this,
pleaded with her after she had seated herself in the buggy, clutched the
spoke of a muddy wheel as if he would hold her back. She took the lines
from her mother, tossed them upon the horse, folded her arms, and in
silence waited.

"John, dear," said Mrs. Cranceford, "let us drive on. There, please
don't attract the attention of those people. You know what gossips they
are."

The Major spoke to Louise. "Will you answer me one question?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is it your intention to live alone in that wretched house?"

"No, sir; but I must go there to think."

The Major stepped back, and with a handkerchief wiped his muddy hand.
"Margaret, I leave her with you," he said.

Shortly after the Major reached home his wife arrived, but Louise was
not with her. "I could do nothing," she said. "When we drove up to the
gate she jumped out and declared that I must come on home. I pleaded
with her, but she wouldn't yield. Two old women were in the house and
she said that they were company enough; she wanted to think and they
would not distract her thoughts. I told her that if she would agree to
let me stay I would not say a word, but she shook her head. 'You shall
hear from me to-morrow,' were her words, 'but you must leave me to
myself to-night. It is of no use to urge me.' I saw that it wasn't, and
I drove away. I declare I can't make her out."

"Most unreasonable creature I ever saw," the Major replied, uneasily
walking up and down the room. "She has made me contemptible in the eyes
of this neighborhood, and now appears determined to disgrace herself."

"Don't say that, John."

"Why not? It's a fact."

"It is not a fact. I am not afraid of a daughter of mine disgracing
herself. It's only bad blood that disgraces itself."

"I am not so sure about that when women throughout the entire co