g--and that's being in love a whole lot, I'll say. Well, none of
us knew what was said back and forth in the family circle, but we
figured that the new husband's cheeks didn't tingle with any kisses that
Eck gave him. At any rate, Eck set Kennard to work--that was the name,
Alfred Kennard. Eck was never much good at ciphering. Office had been in
his hip pocket, where he carried his timebook and his scale sheet.
Kennard had an education and it came about that Eck let Alf do the
ciphering; then he let him keep the books; then he let him handle
contracts and the money; then he gave him power of attorney so that Alf
wouldn't be hampered whilst Eck was away in the woods. Just handed
everything over for the first and the only time in his life, figuring
that it was all in the family. I guess that Alf went to figuring the
same way, seeing that he was good at figures; felt that what was Eck's
was his, or would be later--and Alf proceeded to cash in. Stole right
and left, that was the amount of it. Prob'ly reckoned he'd rather have
a sore conscience than have his feelings all ripped to pieces when he
asked Eck for money.

"We all knew when Eck found out that he had been properly trimmed by the
only man he had ever trusted.

"It happened in the dooryard of the big house up there, when Eck came
home, wised up, and tackled Alf. Eck felt that the inside of the house
might get mussed up by his language, so he stood in the yard and
hollered for Alf to come out. We all went up and stood around; it seemed
to be a free show, all welcome. We got the full facts in the case from
Eck.

"Sylvia came out on the heels of Alf, and she had with her the little
Lida, Eck's granddaughter. And after Eck had had his say to Alf and had
thrown him over the fence, he gave Sylvia her choice--stay with her
father or go away with Alf. Well, she had loved Alf well enough to come
home and face Eck with him; she loved Alf enough to turn her back on Eck
and face the world with her husband. Natural, of course! Eck tried to
grab the little girl away--to save his own from the thieves, so he said.
Sylvia fought him off and hung to the girl. It was a tough sight,
Latisan! And he stood there and shook his fists and cast 'em all off for
ever and aye. That's his nature--no allowance made if anybody does him
dirt.

"I'll admit that Eck did make an allowance later, after Alf died and the
news of it got back here to Adonia. Lida was grown up to around sixteen
by that