tranquillity which had settled on her
after the inquest and funeral. Worry had overtaken her again, and a
longing for the return of Morgan, which seemed destined never to be
quieted.

There was not so much concern for her in the ultimate disposal of Isom's
estate, for she had consoled herself all along, since the discovery of
the will, that she would soon be above the need of his miserly scrapings
and hoarded revenues of stint. Morgan would come, triumphant in his
red-wheeled buggy, and bear her away to the sweet recompense of love,
and the quick noises of life beyond that drowsy place. For Morgan, and
love, she could give it all over without one regret, or a glance
behind.

Yet, with the thought of what she already had given for Morgan and love
a quick catching of pain, a troubled stirring bordering on panic, rose
in her breast. Where was Morgan, why did he remain away when he might
come boldly now, like a man, and claim his own? What if Morgan never
should come back? What if she should find herself a double widow, bereft
of both the living and the dead?

During her days she watched for him, straining her eyes up and down the
dust-white road. At night her cheek burned upon her pillow, and her
tears ran down, yearning for the man who had her heart's love in his
keeping and seemed unworthy of the trust.

At such times her anger would flame hot against Joe. If he had not come
into her affairs and muddled them, like a calf in a kitchen, all of this
uncertainty and longing would have been spared her. And it would be like
the fool now, the miserable, bleating bull-calf, to turn back on his
word and betray her. In that case, what should she do? Bow her head,
meekly, and bear him out? She did not think so. There was little chance
that anybody would credit Joe if he should turn now on his own evidence,
less if she should maintain that his first version of the tragedy was
true. For what he had done by his impertinent meddling between her and
Morgan he deserved to suffer. He must grin and bear it now, said she.

Besides this feeling of revenge on Joe's luckless head, Ollie had her
reasons of selfishness and security for desiring him out of the way.
With him in prison for a long time--people said it would be for
life--the secret of her indiscretion with Morgan would be safe. And
then, if Morgan never came back, perhaps another.

But she recoiled from the thought that they might hang Joe for the
murder of Isom. She did not w