t, keeping
busy day after day as her husband had advised; it was her only refuge, and
one which could not avail very long, for already she was worn out. On the
last day of the cleaning, Hugh Noland came to the door of her room and
speaking from the outside said:

"I came in to see if I couldn't help you a little in getting ready for
those shellers, Mrs. Hunter." Hugh had noticed her weary look of late,
and, as all the men about the house did, tried to help whenever there was
time to be spared from the fields or when extra work was required of her.

"Shellers?"

Elizabeth backed out of the closet she was cleaning, and came around to
the door.

"Shellers? Are we going to have shellers?"

"To-morrow," he said in surprise.

In spite of her exclamation of astonishment Elizabeth noted a familiar
look on Hugh Noland's face which had something in it that always caught
her attention. Always when an unexpected thing came upon Hugh, Elizabeth
had a sense of having had past relations with him.

"You don't tell me you didn't know?"

"I surely didn't. When did John go to see the men about it? Why, I haven't
even bread baked!" she exclaimed.

"That's funny! Well--I suppose he forgot to tell you. The men passed here
before dinner and he went out to the road and engaged them. We've got a
little corn left over, and prices seem to be up this week."

"Well, it's only one of many things," she said, trying to smile.

Her eyes wandered over the disordered bedroom as she considered. Clothing,
boots, shoes, and other articles of apparel lay scattered over the bed.
Her orderly soul could not leave them without finishing.

"I'll tell you what you do--I'll straighten up here. You go over to Uncle
Nate's and get me some yeast. I'll have to bake. I made him some yeast the
last time I made for myself, and he'll have some left. It's been too damp
and cloudy to make any of late. Then I'll see what you can do," she said
wearily. "I surely will need help if I've got to have a dozen extra men
without notice. I suppose John forgot. He's usually thoughtful about the
cooking for strange men."

Something in the hurt, weary look of her went to Hugh Noland's heart.

"I'll run over to Hornby's and back in half an hour unless he's at the far
side of the field. Anyhow, I'll get back the very first minute I can. I
have to start to Mitchell County to-morrow, early in the morning, so I
won't have any time to do anything except to-night. I can kill the