ira had beckoned him out. But he said to himself that he did not
want any more--he would go straight about his tasks.

Jerome, striking out through the dewy wind of foot-path towards the
old barn, heard suddenly a voice calling him by name. It was a voice
as low and heavy as a man's, but had a nervous feminine impulse in
it. "Jerome!" it called. "Jerome Edwards!"

Jerome turned, and saw Paulina Maria coming up the road, walking with
a firm, swaying motion of her whole body from her feet, her cotton
draperies blowing around her like sheathing-leaves.

Jerome stood still a minute, watching her; then he went back to the
house, to the door, and stationed himself before it. He stood there
like a sentinel when Paulina Maria drew near. The meaning of war was
in his shoulder, his expanded boyish chest, his knitted brows, set
chin and mouth, and unflinching eyes; he needed only a sword or gun
to complete the picture.

Paulina Maria stopped, and looked at him with haughty wonder. She was
not yet intimidated, but she was surprised, and stirred with rising
indignation.

"How's your mother this morning, Jerome?" said she.

"Well 's she can be," replied Jerome, gruffly, with a wary eye upon
her skirts when they swung out over her advancing knee; for Paulina
Maria was minded to enter the house with no further words of parley.
He gathered himself up, in all his new armor of courage and defiance,
and stood firm in her path.

"I'm going in to see your mother," said Paulina Maria, looking at him
as if she suspected she did not understand aright.

"No, you ain't," returned Jerome.

"What do you mean?"

"You ain't goin' in to see my mother this mornin'."

"Why not, I'd like to know?"

"She's got to be kept still and not see anybody but us, or she'll be
sick."

"I guess it won't hurt her any to see me." Paulina Maria turned
herself sidewise, thrust out a sharp elbow, and prepared to force
herself betwixt Jerome and the door-post like a wedge.

"You stand back!" said Jerome, and fixed his eyes upon her face.

Paulina Maria turned pale. "What do you mean, actin' so?" she said,
again. "Did your mother tell you not to let me in?"

"Mother's got to be kept still and not see anybody but us, or she'll
be sick. I ain't goin' to have anybody come talkin' to her to-day,"
said Jerome, with his eyes still fixed upon Paulina Maria's face.

Paulina Maria was like a soldier whose courage is invincible in all
tried directions. Up to a