A Daughter of the Land

He began planning the kind of horse he would have to drive, the

buggy he would want, and a box in it to carry a hatchet, a square,

measures, an auger, other tools he would need, and by Jove! it

would be a dandy idea to carry a bottle of the real thing. Many a

farmer, for a good cigar and a few swallows of the right thing,

would warm up and sign such a contract as could be got in no other

manner; while he would need it on cold days himself. George

stopped in the moonlight to slap his leg and laugh over the happy

thought. "By George, Georgie, my boy," he said, "most days will

be cold, won't they?"

He had no word to say to Kate of his change of feeling in the

matter. He did not want to miss the chance of twitting her at

every opportunity he could invent with having thrown away half her

inheritance; but he was glad the whole thing was settled so

quickly and easily. He was now busy planning how he would spend

the money Kate agreed to pay him for the ravine; but that was

another rosy cloud she soon changed in colour, for she told him if

he was going to be a partner he could put in what money he had, as

his time was no more valuable than she could make hers teaching

school again -- in other words, he could buy his horse and buggy

with the price she paid for the location, so he was forced to

agree. He was forced to do a great many things in the following

months that he hated; but he had to do them or be left out of the

proposition altogether.

Mrs. Bates and Adam administered the Bates estate promptly and

efficiently. The girls had their money on time, the boys adjusted

themselves as their circumstances admitted. Mrs. Bates had to

make so many trips to town, before the last paper was signed, and

the last transfer was made, that she felt she could not go any

farther, so she did not. Nancy Ellen had reached the point where

she would stop and talk a few minutes to Kate, if she met her on

the streets of Hartley, as she frequently did now; but she would

not ask her to come home with her, because she would not bring

herself in contact with George Holt. The day Kate went to Hartley

to receive and deposit her check, and start her bank account, her

mother asked her if she had any plan as to what she would do with

her money. Kate told her in detail. Mrs. Bates listened with

grim face: "You better leave it in the bank," she said, "and use

the interest to help you live, or put it in good farm mortgages,

where you can easily get ten per cent."