A Daughter of the Land

"Oh, don't you?" asked Mrs. Bates. "Well, I still stand for quite

a bit at Bates Corners, and I say you WILL take that farm, and run

it as you like. It is mine, I give it to you. We all know it

wasn't your fault you lost your money, though it was a dose it

took some of us a good long time to swallow. You are the only one

out of your share; you settled things fine for the rest of them;

and they all know it, and feel it. You'll never know what you did

for me the way you put me through Pa's funeral; now if you'll just

shut up, and stick that deed somewhere it won't burn, and come

home an' plant me as successfully as you did Pa, you'll have

earned all you'll get, an' something coming. Now set us out a

bite to eat, and let's be off."

Kate slowly arose and handed back the deed.

"I'll be flying around so lively I might lose that," she said,

"you put it where you had it, till we get to Hartley, and then

I'll get a place in the bank vault for it. I can't quite take

this in, just yet, but you know I'll do my best for you, Mother!"

"Tain't likely I'd be here else," said Mrs. Bates, "and tea,

Katie. A cup of good strong hot tea would fix me up about proper,

right now."

Kate went to the kitchen and began setting everything she had to

eat on the table. As she worked Polly came flying in the door

crying: "Mother, who has come?" so Kate stepped toward the living

room to show the child to her grandmother and as she advanced she

saw a queer thing. Adam was sitting on his grandmother's lap.

Her arms were tight around him, her face buried in his crisp hair,

and he was patting her shoulder and telling her he would take care

of her, while her voice said distinctly: "Of course you will,

birdie!" Then the lad and the old woman laid their heads together

and laughed almost hysterically.

"WELL, IF THAT ISN'T QUICK WORK!" said Kate to herself. Then she

presented Polly, who followed Adam's lead in hugging the stranger

first and looking at her afterward. God bless all little

children. Then Adam ran to tell the second-hand man to come at

one o'clock and Dr. James that he might have the keys at three.

They ate hurriedly. Kate set out what she wished to save; the

children carried things to the wagon; she packed while they ran

after their books, and at three o'clock all of them climbed into

the spring wagon, and started to Bates Corners.

Kate was the last one in. As she climbed on the seat beside her

mother and took the lines, she handed Mrs. Bates a small china mug

to hold for her. It was decorated with a very fat robin and on a

banner floating from its beak was inscribed: "For a Good Girl."