“IhopeI’llbealivewhenshereturns，“saidClaudegloomily。
NaturallyhehadalittlemoretimetogivetoNinaandherremarkabledoings，whichhadsetthewholeneighborhoodtowondering“whathadcomeoverthegirl。“
Shenolongerworkedinthefield。Shedressedbetter，andhadtakentogoingtothemostfashionablechurchintown。Shewasawomantransformed。Nothingwasabletopreventhersteadyprogressionandbloom。ShegrewplumperandfairerandbecamesomuchmoreattractivethattheyoungGermansthickenedroundher，andoneortwoYankeeboyslookedherway。ThroughitallClaudekeptuphishalf-humorousbanterandaltogetherseriousdailyadvice，withoutoncerealizingthatany-thingsentimentalconnectedhimwithitall。Heknewshelikedhim，andsometimeshefeltalittleannoyedbyherattemptstopleasehim，butthatshewasdoingallthatshedidandorderingherwholelifetopleasehimneverenteredhisself-sufficienthead。
Therewasn’tmuchroomleftinthatheadforanyoneelseexceptLucindy，andhisplansforwiningher。Planashemight，hesawnowayofmakingmorethanthetwodollarsadayhewasearningasacreamcollector。
ThingsranalongthusfromweektoweektillitwasnearlytimeforLucindytoreturn。ClaudewashavinghistopbuggyrepaintedandwaspreparingforavigorouscampaignwhenLucindyshouldbeathomeagain。Heownedhisteamandwagonandthebuggy-nothingmore。
OneSaturdayMr。Kennedysaid，“Lucindy’scominghome。I’mgoingdownafterhertonight。“
“Letmebringherup，“saidClaudewithsuspiciouseagerness。
Mr。Kennedyhesitated。“No，IguessI’llgomyself。Iwanttogototown，anyway。“
ClaudewasinhighspiritsashedroveintoHaldeman’syardthatafternoon。
Ninawasleaningoverthefencesingingsoftlytoherself，butafiercealtercationwasgoingoninsidethehouse。Thewallsresounded。ItwasallDutchtoClaude，butheknewtheoldpeoplewerequarreling。
NinasmiledandcoloredasClaudedrewupatthesidegate。Sheseemednottoheartheeloquentdiscussioninside。
“What’sgoingon？“askedClaude。
“DeytinkIaminhouse。“
“How’sthat？“
“Mymuddershelockmeup。“
Claudestared。“Lockedyouup？Whatfor？“
“ShetondtlikeitdotIcomeouttoseeyou。“
“Oh，shedon’t？“saidClaude。“What’sthemattero’me？Iain’tadangerouschap。Iain’teatin’uplittle。girls。“
Ninawentonplacidly。“Shesaidtdotyouwasgoin’tomarrymeundt’getthefarm。“
Claudegrinned，thenchuckied，andatlastroaredandwhoopedwiththedelightofit。Hetookoffhishatandsaid：
“Shesaidthat，didshe？Why，blessheroldcabbagehead-“
TheopeningofthedoorandthesuddenirruptionofFrauHaldemaninterruptedhim。Shecamerushingtowardhimlikeashegrizzlybear，utteringatorrentofGermanexpletives，andhurledherselfuponhim，clutchingathishairandthroat。Heleapedasideandstruckdownherhandswithasweepofhishardrightarm。Assheturnedtocomeagainheshouted，“Keepoff!orI’llknockyoudown!“
ButbeforetheblowcameNinaseizedtheinfuriatedwomanfrombehindandthrewherdown，andheldhertilltheoldmancamehobblingtotherescue。HeseemedalittledazedbyitallandmadenoefforttoassaultClaude。
Theoldwoman，whowasalreadyblackinthefacewithrage，suddenlyfelllimp，andNina，kneelingbesideher，grewwhitewithfear。
“Oh，vatisthematter!Ihatkildther!“
Clauderushedforabucketofwateranddasheditintheoldwoman’s？ace。Hefloodedherwithslashingsofit，especiallyafterhesawheropenhereyes，endingbyemptyingthebucketinherface。Hewasalittlemaliciousaboutthat。
Themothersatupsoon，wet，scared，bewildered，gasping。
“MeinGott!MeinGotdIchbinertrinken!“
“Whatdoesshesay-she’sbeendrinkin’？Well，thatlooksreasonable。“
“No，no-shethinkssheistrouned。“
“Oh，drowned!“Clauderoaredagain。“Notmuchsheain’t。She’sonlyjustgettingcooledoff。“
Hehelpedthegirlgethermothertothehouseandstretchheroutonabed。Theoldwomanseemedtohavecompletelyexhaustedherselfwithhereffortandsubmittedlikeachildtobewaitedupon。Hersuddenfaintinghadsubduedher。
Claudehadneverpenetratedsofarintothehousebefore，andwasmuchpleasedwiththeneatnessandgoodorderoftherooms，thoughtheywerebareoffurnitureandcarpets。
Asthegirlcameoutwithhimtothegateheutteredthemostseriouswordhehadeverhadwithher“Now，Iwantyoutonotice，“hesaid，“thatIdidnothingtocallouttheoldlady’srushatme。I’d’a’hither，sure，ifshe’d’a’clinchedmeagain。Idon’tbelieveinstrikingawoman，butshewasaftermyhideforthetimebein’，andIcan’tstandtwosuchclutchesinthesameplace。Youdon’tblameme，Ihope。“
“No。Youdonechoostride。“
“Whatdoyousupposetheoldwomanwentformefor？“
Ninalookeddownuneasily。
“Sheknowyouan’meligeoneanudder，an’sheisafraityoumarryme，an’denvenshetieyougetthefarma-ready。“
Claudewhisfied。“GreatJehosaphat!Shereallythinksthat，doesshe？Well，dogmycats!Whatputthatideaintoherhead？“
“Itoldher，“saidNinacalmly。
“Youtoldher？“Claudeturnedandstaredather。Shelookeddown，andherfaceslowlygrewtoadeepred。Shemoveduneasilyfromonefoottothe’other，likeanawkward，embarrassedchild。Ashelookedatherstandinglikeaculpritbeforehim，hisfirstimpulsewastolaugh。Hewasnotspeciallyrefined，buthewasakindlyman，anditsuddenlyoccurredto’himthatthegirlwassuffering。
“Well，youweremistaken，“hesaidatlast，gentlyenough。“Idon’tknowwhyyoushouldthinkso，butIneverthoughtofmarryingyou-neverthoughtofit。“
Theflushfadedfromherface，andshestoppedswaying。Sheliftedhereyestohisinatearful，appealingstare。
“It’oughtso-youmademet’inkso。“
“Idid？How？Ineversaidawordtoyouabout-likingyouor-marrying-oranythinglikethat。I-“HewasgoingtotellherheintendedtomarryLucindy，buthecheckedhimself。
Herlashesfellagain，andthetearsbegantostreamdownhercheeks。Sheknewtheworstnow。Hisfacehadconvincedher。Shecouldnottellhimthegroundsofherbelief-thateverytimehehadsaid，“Idon’tliketoseeawomando-thisorthat，“or，“Iliketoseeawomanfixuparoundthehouse，“shehadconsideredhiswordsinthelightofcourtship，believingthatinsuchwaystheYankeesmadelove。Soshestoodsufferingdumblywhileheloadedhiscreamcanandstoodbythewheelreadytomounthiswagon。
Heturned。“I’mmightysorryaboutit，“hesaid。“MebbeIwastoblame。Ididn’tmeannothingbyit-notathing。Itwasallamistake。
Let’sshakehandsoveritandcallthewholebusinessoff。“
Heheldhishandouttoher，andwithalowcrysheseizeditandlaidhercheekuponit。Hestartedbackinamazementanddrewhishandaway。Shefelluponherkneesinthepathandcoveredherfacewithherapron，whilehehastilymountedhisseatanddroveaway。
Nothingsoprofoundlymovinghadcomeintohislifesincethedeathofhismother，andasherodeondowntheroadhedidagreatdealofthinking。Firstitgavehimapleasantsensationtothinkawomanshouldcaresomuchforhim。Hehadlivedahomelesslifeforyearsandhadcomeintointimaterelationswithfewwomen，goodorbad。Theyhadalwayslaughedwithhimnotathim，forClaudewasabletotakecareofhimself，andnowomanbeforehadtakenhimseriously，andtherewasacertaincharmabouttherealization。
Thenhefelltowonderingwhathehadsaidordonetogivethegirlsuchanotionofhispurposes。Perhapshehadbeentoofreewithhistalk。Hewassotroubledthathehardlysmiledonceduringtherestofhiscircuit，andatnightherefrainedfromgoinguptown，andsatunderthetreesbackofthecreameryandsmokedandponderedontheastoundingsituation。
HecameatlasttotheresolutionthatitwashisdutytodeclarehimselftoLucindyandendalluncertainty，sothatnootherwomanwouldfallintoNina’serror。Hewasasgoodasanengagedman，andtheworldshouldknowit。
Thenextday，withhisnewlypaintedbuggyflashinginthesun，andtheextradozenivoryringshehadpurchasedforhisharnessesclashingtogether，hedroveuptheroadasamanofleisureandaresolvedlover。ItwasabeautifuldayinAugust。
LucindywasgettingalightteaforsomefriendsupfromtheSiding，whenshesawClaudedriveup。
“Well，forthelandsake!“shebrokeout，usingoneofhermother’sphrases，“ifhereisn’tthatcreameryman!“InthatphraselaytheanswertoClaude’squestion-ifhehadheardit。Hedrovein，andMr。Kennedy，withimpartialhospitality，wentoutandaskedhiinto’lightandputhisteaminthebarn。
Hedidso，feelingverymuchexhilarated。Heneverbeforehadgonecourtinginthisdirectandaboveboardfashion。Hemistookthefather’shospitalityforcomplianceinhisdesigns。Hefollowedhishostintothehouseandfaced，withveryfaircomposure，twogirlswhosmiledbroadlyastheyshookhandswithhim。Mrs。
Kennedygavehimalaxhandandacurthow-de-do，andLucindyfairlyscowledinanswertohisradiantsmile。
Shewasmuchchanged，hecouldsee。Sheworeadresswithpuffedsleeves，andherhairwasdresseddifferently。Sheseemedstrangeanddistant，buthethoughtshewas“puttingthaton“forthebenefitofothers。AtthetablethethreegirlstalkedofthingsattheSidingandignoredhimsothathewasobligedtoturntoFarmerKennedyforrefuge。Hekepthiscourageupbythinking，“Waittillwearealone。“
Aftersupper，whenLucindyexplainedthatthedisheswouldhavetobewashed，heofferedtohelpherinhisbestmanner。
“Thankyou，Idon’tneedanyhelp，“wasLucindy’scurtreply。
Ordinarilyhewasamanofmuchfacilityandeaseinaddressingwomen，butbewasvastlydisconcertedbyhermanner。Hesatrathersilentlywaitingfortheroomtoclear。Whenthevisitorsintimatedthattheymustgo，herosewithcheerfulalacrity。
“I’llgetyourhorseforyou。“
Hehelpedhitchthehorseintothebuggy，andhelpedthegirlsinwithareturnofeasygallantry，andwatchedthemdriveoffwithjoy。Atlastthefieldwasclear。
Theyreturnedtothesittingroom，wheretheoldfolksremainedforadecentinterval，andthenlefttheyoungpeoplealone。Hiscouragereturnedthen，andheturnedtowardherwithresolutioninhisvoiceandeyes。
“Lucindy，“hebegan。
“MissKennedy，please，“interruptedLucindywithcuttingemphasis。
“I’llbedarnedifIdo，“herepliedhotly。“What’sthematterwithyou？SincegoingtoMinneapolisyouputonalotofcityairs，itseemstome。“
“Ifyoudon’tlikemyairs，youknowwhatyoucando!“
Hesawhismistake。
“Nowseehere，Lucindy，there’snosenseinourquarreling。“
“Idon’twanttoquarrel；Idon’twantanythingtodowithyou。I
wishI’dneverseenyou。“
“Oh，youdon’tmeanthat!Afterallthegoodtalkswe’vehad。“
Sheflushedred。“Ineverhadanysuchtalkswithyou。“
Hepursuedhisadvantage。
“Oh，yes，youdid，andyoutookpainsthatIshouldseeyou。“
“Ididn’t；nosuchthing。Youcamepokingintothekitchenwhereyou’dnobusinesstobe。“
“Say，now，stopfooling。Youlikemeand-“
“Idon’t。Ihateyou，andifyoudon’tclearoutI’llcallfather。You’reoneo’thesekindo’menthatthinkifagirllooksat’emthattheywanttomarry’em。ItellyouIdon’twantanythingmoretodowithyou，andI’mengagedtoanotherman，andIwishyou’dattendtoyourownbusiness。Sothere!Ihopeyou’resatisfied。“
Claudesatfornearlyaminuteinsilence，thenherose。“Iguessyou’reright。I’vemadeamistake。I’vemadeamistakeinthegirl。“
Hespokewithacurioushardnessinhisvoice。“Goodevening，MissKennedy。“
Hewentoutwithdignityandingoodorder。Hisretreatwasnotludicrous。Heleftthegirlwiththefeelingthatshehadlosthertemperandwiththeknowledgethatshehadutteredalie。
Heputhishorsestothebuggywithamournfulself-pityashesawthewheelsglisten。Hehaddoneallthisforascornfulgirlwhocouldnottreathimdecently。’Ashedroveslowlydowntheroadhemuseddeeply。Itwasaknock-downblow，surely。Hewasajustman，sofarasheknew，andashestudiedthesituationoverhecouldnotblamethegirl。Inthelightofherconvincingwrathhecomprehendedthatthesharpthingsshehadsaidtohiminthepastwerenotmake-believe-notlovetaps，butrealblows。Shehadnotbeencoquetting。withhim；shehadtriedtokeephimaway。Sheconsideredherselftoogoodforahiredman。Well，maybeshe’was。
Anyhow，shehadgoneoutofhisreach，hopelessly。