"Why should I, child?" she said, as though such a contingency were out of
all reason. "It's all ours, I guess. It's jest ours to make or mar. Ther'
isn't a stick on this farm that we haven't seen set ther', Rube an' me.
Tired of it? Guess the only tire I'll feel'll come when I can't set foot
to the ground, an' ain't the strength to kindle a stove or scrub a floor.
Tired? No, child. What fixed you to get askin' that?"

The plates clattered under Rosebud's hands as she went on with her work.
Ma eyed the stack of dishes in some doubt. She thought there might be some
excuse for the girl being a little tired of domestic duties. She often
wondered about this. Yet she had never heard Rosebud complain; besides,
she had a wise thought in the back of her head about the girl's feelings
toward at least one of their little family circle.

"I don't quite know, Ma," the girl said at last. Then she added quickly,
feeling, of a sudden, that her question had suggested something she did
not intend. "Don't think I am. I was wondering over something else." She
laughed a little uncertainly. "It's Seth. He's always harping on my going
away. Always thinking of the time when my people are to be found. And I
just wondered if he thought I was tired of the farm and wanted to be away.
He's so kind and good to me, and I thought he might, in a mistaken way,
believe I'd be happier in--well, with those people who have forgotten my
very existence. I love the farm, and--and all of you. And I don't want to
go away."

Ma turned again to her work with a wise little smile in her twinkling
eyes.

"Seth's a far-seein' boy, an' a good boy in 'most everything," she said,
in a tone indicating wholehearted affection; "but he's like most folks
with head-pieces, I guess. He don't stop at things which it is given to
men to understand. Ef I wus a man I'd say of Seth, he's li'ble to git
boostin' his nose into places not built fer a nose like his. Seein' I'm
his 'Ma,' I'd jest say he ain't no call to git figgerin' out what's good
fer wimminfolk."

"That's just what I think," exclaimed Rosebud, with a quick laugh. "He
made me quite angry some time ago. He means to get me off the farm
somehow. And--and--I could just thump him for it." The girl's seriousness
had passed, and she spoke lightly enough now.

"Men-folk do rile you some," nodded Ma. But the twinkle had not left her
eyes. "But, my girl, I shouldn't be surprised if Seth's got mighty good
reason. An' it ain