A Daughter of the Land

In that moment she recalled that she had left her father in

perfect health, she had been gone more than seven years. In that

time he could not fail to illness; how he had been hurt was her

first thought. As she asked the question, she stepped into her

room and snatched up her second best summer dress, waiting for

Adam to speak as she slipped into it. But speaking seemed to be a

very difficult thing for Adam. He was slow in starting and words

dragged and came singly: "Yesterday -- tired -- big dinner --

awful hot -- sunstroke -- "

"He's gone?" she cried.

Adam nodded in that queer way again.

"Why did you come? Does Mother want me?" the questions leaped

from Kate's lips; her eyes implored him. Adam was too stricken to

heed his sister's unspoken plea.

"Course," he said. "All there -- your place -- I want you. Only

one in the family -- not stark mad!"

Kate straightened tensely and looked at him again. "All right,"

she said. "I can throw a few things in my telescope, write the

children a note to take to their father in the field, and we can

stop in Walden and send Aunt Ollie out to cook for them; I can go

as well as not, for as long as Mother wants me."

"Hurry!" said Adam.

In her room Kate stood still a second, her eyes narrow, her

underlip sucked in, her heart almost stopped. Then she said

aloud: "Father's sons have wished he would die too long for his

death to strike even the most tolerant of them like that.

Something dreadful has happened. I wonder to my soul -- !"

She waited until they were past Hartley and then she asked

suddenly: "Adam, what is the matter?"

Then Adam spoke: "I am one of a pack of seven poor fools, and

every other girl in the family has gone raving mad, so I thought

I'd come after you, and see if you had sense, or reason, or

justice, left in you."

"What do you want of me?" she asked dazedly.

"I want you to be fair, to be honest, to do as you'd be done by.

You came to me when you were in trouble," he reminded her.

Kate could not prevent the short laugh that sprang to her lips,

nor what she said: "And you would not lift a finger; young Adam

MADE his MOTHER help me. Why don't you go to George for what you

want?"

Adam lost all self-control and swore sulphurously.

"I thought you'd be different," he said, "but I see you are going

to be just like the rest of the --!"

"Stop that!" said Kate. "You're talking about my sisters -- and

yours. Stop this wild talk, and tell me exactly what is the

matter."