AshecamepasttheHaldemans’hesawNinasittingoutunderthetreesinthetwifight。Ontheimpulsehepulledin。Hismindtookanotherturn。Herewasawomanwhowasopenandaboveboardinheraffection。Herwordsmeantwhattheystoodfor。Herememberedhowshehadbloomedoutthelastfewmonths。Shehasthemakingofahandsomewomaninher，hethought。
Shesawhimandcameouttothegate，andwhileheleanedoutofhiscarriagesherestedherarmsonthegateandlookedupathim。
Shelookedpaleandsad，andhewastouched。
“How’stheoldlady？“heasked。
“Oh，she’sup!Sheismuchchange-ed。Sheisveakandquiet“
“Quiet，isshe？Well，that’sgood。“
“Shet’inksGodstrikeherferhervickedness。Neverbeforedidshefaintedlikedot。“
“Well，don’tspoilthatnotioninher。Itmaydoheraworldofgood。“
“Derpriestcome。Hesaidtitwassapunishment。ShesaidtIshouldmarrywhoIlike。“
Claudelookedathersearchingly。Shewascertainlymuchimproved。Allsheneededwasalittleencouragementandadvice，andshewouldmakeahandsomewife。Iftheoldladyhadsofteneddown，herson-in-lawcouldsafelythrowupthecreameryjobandbecomethebossofthefarm。Theoldmanwasusedup，andthefarmneededsomeonerightaway。
Hestraightenedupsuddenly。“Getyourhat，“hesald，“andwe’lltakearide。“
Shestartederect，andhecouldseeherpalefaceglowwithjoy。
“Withyou？“
“Withme。Getyourbesthat。Wemayturnupattheminister’sandgetmarried-ifaSundaymarriageislegal。“
Asshehurriedupthewalkhesaidtohimself，“I’llbetitgivesLucindyashock!“
Andthethoughtpleasedhimmightily。
ADAY’SPLEASURE
“Mainlyitislongandweariful，andhasahomeo’toilatoneendandadulllittletownattheother。“
WHENMarkhamcameinfromshovelinghislastwagon-loadofcornintothecrib，hefoundthathiswifehadputthechildrentobed，andwaskneadingabatchofdoughwiththedoggedactionofatiredandsullenwoman。
Heslippedhissoggybootsoffhisfeetand，havinglaidapieceofwoodontopofthestove，puthisheelsonitcomfortably。Hischairsqueakedasheleanedbackonitshindlegs，buthepaidnoattention；hewasusedtoit，exactlyashewasusedtohiswife’slamenessandceaselesstoil。
“Thatclosesupmycorn，“hesaidafterasilence。“IguessI’llgototowntomorrowtogitmyhorsesshod。“
“IguessI’llgitreadyandgoalong，“saidhiswifeinasorryattempttobefirmandconfidentoftone。
“Whatdoyouwanttogototownfer？“hegrumbled。“Whatdoesanybodywanttogototownfer？“sheburstout，facinghim。“Iain’tbeenouto’thishousefersixmonths，whileyougoan’go!“
“Oh，itain’tsixmonths。YouwentdownthatdayIgotthemower。“
“Whenwasthat？ThetenthofJuly，andyouknowit。“
“Well，mebbe’twas。Ididn’tthinkitwassolongago。Iain’tnoobjectiontoyourgoin’，onlyI’mgoin’totakealoadofwheat。“
“Well，jestleaveoffasack，an’that’llbalancemean’thebaby，“shesaidspiritedly。
“Allright，“herepliedgood-naturedly，seeingshewasroused。
“Onlythatwheatoughttobeputuptonightifyou’regoin’。Youwon’thaveanytimetoholdsacksformeinthemorningwiththemyoungonestogetofftoschool。“
“Well，let’sgodoitthen，“shesaid，sullenlyresolute。
“Ihatetogooutagin；butIs’posewe’dbetter。“
Heyawneddismallyandbeganpullinghisbootsonagain，stampinghisswollenfeetintothemwithgruntsofpain。Sheputonhiscoatandoneoftheboy’scaps，andtheywentouttothegranary。Thenightwascoldandclear。
“Don’tlooksomuchlikesnowasitdidlastnight，“saidSam。“Itmayturnwarm。“
Layingoutthesacksinthelightofthelantern，theysortedoutthosewhichwerewhole，andSamclimbedintothebinwithatinpailinhishand，andtheworkbegan。
Hewasasturdyfellow，andheworkeddesperatelyfast；theshiningtinpaildiveddeepintothecoldwheatanddraggedheavilyonthewoman’stiredhandsasitcametothemouthofthesack，andshetrembledwithfatigue，butheldonanddraggedthesacksawaywhenfilled，andbroughtothers，tillatlastSamclimbedout，puffingandwheezing，totiethemup。
“IguessI’llload’eminthemorning，“hesaid。“Youneedn’twaitferme。I’lltie’emupalone。“
“Oh，Idon’tmind，“shereplied，feelingalittletouchedbyhisunexpectedlyeasyacquiescencetoherrequest。Whentheywentbacktothehousethemoonhadrisen。
Ithadscarcelysetwhentheywerewakenedbythecrowingroosters。Themanrolledstifflyoutofbedandbeganrattlingatthestoveinthedark，coldkitchen。
Hiswifearoselamerandstifferthanusualandbegantwistingherthinhairintoaknot。
Samdidnotstoptowash，butwentouttothebarn。Thewoman，however，hastilysousedherfaceintothehardlimestonewateratthesinkandputthekettleon。Thenshecalledthechildren。Sheknewitwasearly，andtheywouldneedseveralcallings。Shepushedbreakfastforward，runningoverinhermindthethingsshemusthave：twospoolsofthread，sixyardsofcottonflannel，acanofcoffee，andmittensforKitty。Theseshemusthave-therewereoceansofthingssheneeded。
Thechildrensooncamescuddingdownoutofthedarknessoftheupstairstodresstumultuouslyatthekitchenstove。Theyhumpedandshivered，holdinguptheirbarefeetfromthecoldfloor，likechickensinnewfallensnow。Theywereirritable，andsnarledandsnappedandstrucklikecatsanddogs。Mrs。Markhamstooditforawhilewithmerecommandsto“hushup，“butatlastherpatiencegaveout，andshechargeddownonthestrugglingmobandcuffedthemrightandleft。
Theyatetheirbreakfastbylamplight，andwhenSamwentbacktohisworkaroundthebarnyarditwasscarcelydawn。Thechildren，leftalonewiththeirmother，begantoteasehertoletthemgototownalso。
“No，sir-nobodygoesbutbaby。Yourfather’sgoin’totakealoadofwheat。“
Shewasweakwiththeworryofitallwhenshehadsenttheolderchildrenawaytoschool，andthekitchenworkwasfinished。Shewentintothecoldbedroomoffthelittlesittingroomandputonherbestdress。Ithadneverbeenagoodfit，andnowshewasgettingsothinithunginwrinkledfoldseverywhereabouttheshouldersandwaist。Shelaydownonthebedamomenttoeasethatdullpaminherback。Shehadamoment’sdistasteforgoingoutatall。Thethoughtofsleepwasmorealluring。Thenthethoughtofthelong，longday，andthesickeningsamenessofherlife，sweptoverheragain，andsherose。andpreparedthebabyforthejourney。
ItwasbutlittleaftersunrisewhenSamdroveoutintotheroadandstartedforBelleplain。Hiswifesatpercheduponthewheatsacksbehindhim，holdingthebabyinherlap，acottonquiltunderher，andacottonhorseblanketoverherknees。
Samwasdisposedtobeverygood-natured，andhetalkedbackatheroccasionally，thoughshecouldonlyunder-standhimwhenheturnedhisfacetowardher。Thebabystaredoutatthepassingfencepostsandwiggledhishandsoutofhismittensateveryopportunity。Hewasmerry，atleast。
Itgrewwarmerastheywenton，andastrongsouthwindarose。
Thedustsettleduponthewoman’sshawlandhat。Herhairloosenedandblewunkemptlyaboutherface。Theroadwhichledacrossthehigh，levelprairiewasquitesmoothanddry，butstillitjoltedher，andthepaminherbackincreased。Shehadnothingtoleanagainst，andtheweightofthechildgrewgreater，tillshewasforcedtoplacehimonthesacksbesideher，thoughshecouldnotlooseherholdforamoment。
Thetowndrewinsight-aclusterofsmallframehousesandstoresonthedryprairiebesidearailwaystation。Therewerenotreesyetwhichcouldbecalledshadetrees。Thepitilesslyseverelightofthesunfloodedeverything。Afewteamswerehitchedabout，andintheleeofthestoresafewmencouldbeseenseatedcomfortably，theirbroadhatrimsfloppingupanddown，theirfacesbrownasleather。
Markhamputhiswifeoutatoneofthegrocerystoresanddroveoffdowntowardtheelevatorstosellhiswheat。
ThegrocergreetedMrs。Markhamin。aperfunctorilykindmannerandofferedherachair，whichshetookgratefully。Shesatforaquarterofanhouralmostwithoutmoving，leaningagainstthebackofthehighchair。Atlastthechildbegantogetrestlessandtroublesome，andshespenthalfanhourhelpinghimamusehimselfaroundthenailkegs。
Atlengthsheroseandwentoutonthewalk，carryingthebaby。
Shewentintothedry-goodsstoreandtookaseatononeofthelittlerevolvingstools。Awomanwasbuyingsomewoolengoodsforadress。Itwasworthtwenty-sevencentsayard，theclerksaid，buthewouldknockofftwocentsifshetooktenyards。Itlookedwarm，andMrs。MarkhamwishedshecouldafforditforMary。
Aprettyyounggirlcamein，andlaughedandchattedwiththeclerk，andboughtapairofgloves。Shewasthedaughterofthegrocer。Herhappinessmadethewifeandmothersad。WhenSamcamebacksheaskedhimforsomemoney。
“Wantyouwanttodowithit？“heasked。
“Iwanttospendit，“shesaid。
Shewasnottobetrifledwith，sohegaveheradollar。
“Ineedadollarmore。“
“Well，I’vegottogotakeupthatnoteatthebank。“
“Well，thechildren’sgottohavesomenewunderclo’es，“shesaid。
Hehandedheratwo-dollarbillandthenwentouttopayhisnote。
Sheboughthercottonflannelandmittensandthread，andthensatleaningagainstthecounter。Itwasnoon，andshewashungry。Shewentouttothewagon，gotthelunchshehadbrought，andtookitintothegrocerytoeatit-whereshecouldgetadrinkofwater。
Thegrocergavethebabyastickofcandyandhandedthemotheranapple。
“It’llkindo’godownwithyourdoughnuts，“hesaid。Aftereatingherlunchshegotupandwentout。Shefeltashamedtositthereanylonger。Sheenteredanotherdry-goodsstore，butwhentheclerkcametowardhersaying，“Anythingtoday，Mrs-？“sheanswered，“No，Iguessnot，“andturnedawaywithfoolishface。
Shewalkedupanddownthestreet，desolatelyhome-less。Shedidnotknowwhattodowithherself。Sheknewnooneexceptthegrocer。Shegrewbitterasshesawacoupleofladiespass，holdingtheirdemitrainsinthelatestcityfashion。Anotherwomanwentbypushingababycarriage，inwhichsatachildjustaboutasbigasherown。Itwasbouncingitselfupanddownonthelongslenderspringsandlaughingandshouting。Itscleanroundfaceglowedfromitsprettyfringedhood。Shelookeddownatthedustyclothesandgrimyfaceofherownlittleoneandwalkedonsavagely。
Shewentintothedrugstorewherethesodafountainwas，butitmadeherthirstytositthere，andshewentoutonthestreetagain。
SheheardSamlaughandsawhiminagroupofmenoverbytheblacksmithshop。Hewashavingagoodtimeandhadforgottenher。
Herbackachedsointolerablythatsheconcludedtogoinandrestoncemoreinthegrocer’schair。Thebabywasgrowingcrossandfretful。Sheboughtfivecents’worthofcandytotakehometothechildrenandgavebabyalittlepiecetokeephimquiet。ShewishedSamwouldcome。Itmustbegettinglate。Thegrocersaiditwasnotmuchafterone。Timeseemedterriblylong。Shefeltthatsheoughttodosomethingwhileshewasintown。Sheranoverherpurchases-yes，thatwasallshehadplannedtobuy。Shefelltofiguringonthethingssheneeded。Itwasterrible。Itranawayupintotwentyorthirtydollarsattheleast。Sam，aswellasshe，neededunderwearforthecoldwinter，buttheywouldhavetoweartheoldones，eveniftheywerethinandragged。Shewouldnotneedadress，shethoughtbitterly，becausesheneverwentanywhere。Sherose，andwentoutonthestreetoncemore，andwanderedupanddown，lookingateverythinginthehopeofenjoyingsomething。
AmanfromBoonCreekbackedaloadofapplesuptothesidewalk，andashestoodwaitingforthegrocerhenoticedMrs。