think I couldn't tell one from t'other! I mus' git another
peak at 'em." Then she hurried away towards the orchard.

Over by the barn a man was coming out from the horse stalls, with an
old leather strap in his hand, when he was suddenly confronted by the
stern visage of Miss Matilda Grath, spinster. Before he found words of
greeting, she burst forth in wrathful tones:

"Jeremiah Hubbard, whatever do you mean by stealin' other folks'
property, right before their very eyes?"

"Stealin', Miss Grath? Me steal? You mus' be losin your senses. Hain't
ye?"

"No, I hain't!" snapped back Miss Grath. "An' ef you an't stealin'
that strap, I'd like to know what you're doin', takin' it outen the
barn, before it's sold?"

"Gosh! Ye don't mean you're goin' to sell this strap?"

"An' why not, I'd like to know? It's mine, an' I kin sell it, I spose,
'thout gittin' your permission?"

"Why, sartin! But 'tain't wuth nothin'."

"Ef 'tain't wuth nothin', I'd have you tell me what you're takin' it
for?"

"Well, you see,"--Mr. Hubbard was embarrassed by the question--"it's
this way. A bit o' my harness is a leetle weak, and I thought this'd
come handy to brace it up till I get to hum."

"Jes' so," answered Miss Grath, with gratification, "an' as 't would
come handy, you jes' took it, French leave. Well! Ef you stay till the
end o' the auction, mebbe you'll git a chance to buy it. Meanwhile,
Mr. Hubbard, it might be 's well to keep your hands offen what don't
belong to you."

Mr. Hubbard threw the old piece of strap back in the stall, and
pushing his hands deep into his pockets, snarled out:

"I reckon I'll put my hands in my pockets, where my money is, an' keep
'em there too!" With which he strode away, a very angry man. He stayed
to the end of the auction, but Miss Grath noticed with regret that he
did not bid on anything all day, and she wondered if she had not "put
her foot in it," which she undoubtedly had. But there are many, many
people, in this curious little world, who hold a penny so close to
their eyes that they lose sight of many dollars that might come their
way were they not blinded by the love of small gains. Mr. Hubbard,
too, was troubled as he rode home, that night; for, aside from the
fact that he had been accused, of stealing, and that the stolen
property had been "found on him," because of his determination not to
let "the old hag" get any of his money he had lost several good
opportunities to secure temptin