A Daughter of the Land

Kate picked up the pen, handed it to her mother, signed afterward

herself, and then carried it to each of her sisters, leaving Nancy

Ellen and Mary until last. All of them signed up to Nancy Ellen.

She hesitated, and she whispered to Kate: "Did Robert --?" Kate

nodded. Nancy Ellen thought deeply a minute and then said slowly:

"I guess it is the quickest and best we can do." So she signed.

Mary hesitated longer, but finally added her name. Kate passed on

to the boys, beginning with Adam. Slowly he wrote his name, and

as he handed back the paper he said: "Thank you, Kate, I believe

it's the sanest thing we can do. I can make it easier than the

younger boys."

"Then HELP them," said Kate tersely, passing on.

Each boy signed in turn, all of them pleased with the chance. It

was so much better than they had hoped, that it was a great

relief, which most of them admitted; so they followed Adam's

example in thanking Kate, for all of them knew that in her brain

had originated the scheme, which seemed to make the best of their

troubles.

Then they sat closer and talked things over calmly and

dispassionately. It was agreed that Adam and his mother should

drive to Hartley the following afternoon and arrange for him to

take out papers of administration for her, and start the

adjustment of affairs. They all went home thinking more of each

other, and Kate especially, than ever before. Mrs. Bates got

dinner while Kate and Nancy Ellen went to work on the cool gray

dress, so that it would be ready for the next afternoon. While

her mother was away Kate cleaned the spare bedroom and moved her

mother's possessions into it. She made it as convenient and

comfortable and as pretty as she could, but the house was bare to

austerity, so that her attempt at prettifying was rather a

failure. Then she opened the closed room and cleaned it, after

studying it most carefully as it stood. The longer she worked,

the stronger became a conviction that was slowly working its way

into her brain. When she could do no more she packed her

telescope, installed Sally Whistler in her father's room, and rode

to Hartley with a neighbour. From there she took the Wednesday

hack for Walden.