A Daughter of the Land

Kate explained again and told how she was doing all the buying,

how she would pay all bills, and keep the books. It was no use.

Mrs. Bates sternly insisted that she should do no such thing. In

some way she would be defrauded. In some way she would lose the

money. What she was proposing was a man's work. Kate had most of

her contracts signed and much material ordered, she could not

stop. Sadly she saw her mother turn from her, declaring as she

went that Kate would lose every cent she had, and when she did she

need not come hanging around her. She had been warned. If she

lost, she could take the consequences. For an instant Kate felt

that she could not endure it then she sprang after her mother.

"Oh, but I won't lose!" she cried. "I'm keeping my money in my

own hands. I'm spending it myself. Please, Mother, come and see

the location, and let me show you everything."

"Too late now," said Mrs. Bates grimly, "the thing is done. The

time to have told me was before you made any contracts. You're

always taking the bit in your teeth and going ahead. Well, go!

But remember, 'as you make your bed, so you can lie.'"

"All right," said Kate, trying to force a laugh. "Don't you

worry. Next time you get into a tight place and want to borrow a

few hundreds, come to me."

Mrs. Bates laughed derisively. Kate turned away with a faint

sickness in her heart and when half an hour later she met Nancy

Ellen, fresh from an interview with her mother, she felt no better

-- far worse, in fact -- for Nancy Ellen certainly could say what

was in her mind with free and forceful directness. With deft

tongue and nimble brain, she embroidered all Mrs. Bates had said,

and prophesied more evil luck in three minutes than her mother

could have thought of in a year. Kate left them with no promise

of seeing either of them again, except by accident, her heart and

brain filled with misgivings. "Must I always have 'a fly in my

ointment'?" she wailed to herself. "I thought this morning this

would be the happiest day of my life. I felt as if I were flying.

Ye Gods, but wings were never meant for me. Every time I take

them, down I come kerflop, mostly in a 'gulf of dark despair,' as

the hymn book says. Anyway, I'll keep my promise and give the

youngsters a treat."

So she bought each of them an orange, some candy, and goods for a

new Sunday outfit and comfortable school clothing. Then she took

the hack for Walden, feeling in a degree as she had the day she

married George Holt. As she passed the ravine and again studied

the location her spirits arose. It WAS a good scheme. It would

work. She would work it. She would sell from the yards to Walden

and the surrounding country. She would see the dealers in Hartley

and talk the business over, so she would know she was not being

cheated in freight rates when she came to shipping. She stopped

at Mrs. Holt's, laid a deed before her for her signature, and

offered her a check for eight hundred for the Holt house and lot,

which Mrs. Holt eagerly accepted. They arranged to move

immediately, as the children were missing school. She had a deed

with her for the ravine, which George signed in Walden, and both

documents were acknowledged; but she would not give him the money

until he had the horse and buggy he was to use, at the gate, in

the spring.