I told Hornby a week 'fore his
wife died that you said you didn't want t' change visits with us country
jakes, 'cause you wanted your boy t' be different from th' likes of us.
Ma'd heard that somewhere, but I told it t' 'im 's if you'd said it t' me.
Sue Hornby put 'er hand on my arm an' said, so kind like, 'Sadie, ain't
you 'fraid t' talk that way an' you in that fix?' An' I just cried an'
cried, an' couldn't even tell 'er I'd tried t' do different."

Luther Hansen had been trying to interrupt the flow of his wife's
confession, and broke in at this point by saying:

"Sadie's nervous an' upset over----"

"No, I ain't," Sadie replied hastily. "I've been as mean as mud, an' here
she's took care of you, an' I've gone an' got Hornby mad at 'er. He
believed what I told, if 'is wife didn't. They say, Lizzie, that 'e lives
there all by 'iself an'----" Sadie choked, and waited for Elizabeth to
speak.

"I guess you've worried about nothing," Elizabeth said brightly. "I've
been to see him, and we're good friends--the best kind in fact, and no one
could ever make us anything else hereafter." She looked down at Luther and
smiled.

"Will it make any difference with my baby?" Sadie asked anxiously, her
mind working like a treadmill in its own little round.

"No, Sadie--that is, I guess not. I've been thinking, as I listened to
you, that the way you tried would have to count--it's bigger than anything
else you've done."

Sadie Hansen dropped into a chair sobbing hysterically.

Elizabeth's hand went to the girl's shoulder comfortingly.

"God does not ask that we succeed, Sadie; he asks that we try."

* * * * *

Elizabeth was back in her own kitchen in time to get dinner. John had seen
her as she came home, but made no remark.

At the end of three weeks there was a consultation between Hugh Noland and
John regarding a possible partnership. Not only did Noland like John
Hunter, but he was delighted with the atmosphere with which he found him
surrounded.

"This is a home," had been Hugh's secret analysis of the household. In
fact the home was the main feature of the Hunter farm, the main reason for
wishing to stay.

To John the offer of partnership was a blessing from heaven itself. The
matter of interest was pressing on him far more than he had acknowledged
to Elizabeth. It galled him to discuss things with her since she had
ceased to ask about them or even to show any concern.