followed her own
laborious thinking, unaware that her husband had spoken.

"What'd I say that riled Mrs. Hornby?" he repeated.

Elizabeth heard the question now and looked up. It was hard to answer. To
mention the tone in which he had spoken of Luther was useless she knew.
Her hesitancy annoyed her husband.

"Well, what's wrong?"

"Nothing--that is----" Elizabeth could not discuss it.

John Hunter resented her silence. He turned without speaking and picked up
the water pail quickly. John heaped coals of fire by performing household
duties.

Reflecting that he was going to be angry whether she talked out or not,
Elizabeth laid a detaining hand on his arm and spoke of what she felt she
could get his attention fixed upon.

"I was thinking of all that money we're going to have to pay some day,
John. I--I've tried before to make you understand me. Oh, John, dear,
don't you see--but then, no, of course you don't, you've never had the
experience of it. You see, dear, I've had it. It takes the heart out of
people. You never get rid of it after you get into it once. You just go
on, you get old and quarrelsome--and--and you never have any good times
because you're afraid of something--of the interest that's got to be met,
and things. Why won't you let me help you? You didn't tell me about these
last cattle, nor the Carter lot. Why----"

"Now look here, Elizabeth, a man can't run to the house and consult a
woman about every little thing he does, before he does it. I always tell
you when I can. I told you about this."

Irritability was John Hunter's strongest weapon.

"I don't want you to run to the house to tell me about every little thing
you do," the young wife explained patiently, "but these debts will not be
little things when they come to be paid off, dear. Really, you don't know
how they will sap you and me later on; they may even take the farm right
out from under our feet. There are so many things that can happen to
cattle--and interest _has_ to be paid. That's the awful part of it,
and----"

John fidgeted uneasily and did not look at her. He wanted to get away. He
had not come in to talk of this. Elizabeth held his sleeve and he had to
say something.

"I haven't failed to get what you need out of this money," he said at
last. "I can't have you shutting out opportunities for business. I'll
raise the interest. If I furnish the money I ought to be free to make a
living the best way I see how. What do you know