up.

"Well, I don't want this thing to happen again. A child that age has no
business away from home. What was your idea, anyhow?"

"Ask Hugh. I didn't have anything to do with it. I didn't even know it
till he got back. He knew you had engaged the shellers without giving me
any notice, and he knew I had too much for any woman to do. Uncle Nate
knew it too. Go on, and don't bother me this morning; I'm so tired I can't
talk about it, anyhow."

John Hunter was instantly apologetic.

"Oh, well, if Hugh did it I suppose he meant well. He got off all right. I
look for some results with that Mitchell County land if he goes into it
right. I'll send the cattle down as soon as he has time to get the fences
in line and a man to look after them. I brought this cream up; it won't
keep any longer."

John lifted the lid of the cream jar and sniffed with disapproval. "I'll
just put it into the churn for you."

"Oh, dear! what did you bring it up for to-day? I can't churn with all
I've got to do. Take it back."

"It won't keep!"

"Well--I can't churn, and I won't, so there! I've got all I can do to-day.
I should not have let it go, but the cleaning dragged so; besides, I
didn't know I was going to have all these men to-day and I thought I could
get it done. Take it back. I can't have the churn around in the way
to-day. I've never let a churning go to waste in my life, but if this gets
too sour it won't cost any more than to have hired a girl to help with the
work this week. Go on, and take it to the cellar and let me alone."

Elizabeth turned her back to show him that the argument was over, and did
not see that he went out without it, leaving it on the back of the one
small kitchen table she had. The pies she had just finished baking were
ready to be taken from the oven, and when she turned to put them on the
table she was confronted by the cream jar. The table was not large and she
must have room for the food to be cooked that day, so Elizabeth lifted the
heavy jar from the table and, after the pies were out, brought the churn.
She could not carry it to the cellar again and there was no other way.

The sour cream refused to yield, and the girl churned on and on while she
watched the dinner cook. The dinner boiled and bubbled, and the stove was
working as actively in the kitchen as the corn-sheller was doing in the
barnyard, when Nathan set Jack in the doorway and followed him in. Nathan
sniffed appreciatively.

"Smells pr