occasionally;
but if you have lived with me over five years here, and never suspected
it before, it can't be so desperately bad, can it? Come now, be fair!"

"It's no difference whether I am fair or unfair," Kate said, wearily.
"It explains why you simply will not brace up, and be a real man, and
do a man's work in the world, and achieve a man's success."

"Who can get anywhere, splitting everything in halves?" he demanded.

"The most successful men in this neighbourhood got their start exactly
that way," she said.

"Ah, well, farming ain't my job, anyway," he said. "I always did hate
it. I always will. If I could have a little capital to start with, I
know a trick that would suit you, and make us independent in no time."

Kate said no word, and seeing she was not going to, he continued: "I've
thought about this till I've got it all down fine, and it's a great
scheme; you'll admit that, even angry as you are. It is this: get
enough together to build a saw mill on my strip of ravine. A little
damming would make a free water power worth a fortune. I could hire a
good man to run the saw and do the work, and I could take a horse and
ride, or drive around among the farmers I know, and buy up timber
cheaper than most men could get it. I could just skin the eyes out of
them."

"Did it ever occur to you that you could do better by being honest?"
asked Kate, wearily.

"Aw, well, Smarty! you know I didn't mean that literally!" he scoffed.
"You know I only meant I could talk, and jolly, and buy at bed-rock
prices; I know where to get the timber, and the two best mill men in
the country; we are near the railroad; it's the dandiest scheme that
ever struck Walden. What do you think about it?"

"I think if Adam had it he'd be rich from it in ten years," she said,
quietly.

"Then you DO think it's a bully idea," he cried. "You WOULD try it if
we had a chance?"

"I might," said Kate.

"You know," he cried, jumping up in excitement, "I've never mentioned
this to a soul, but I've got it all thought out. Would you go to see
your brother Adam, and see if you could get him to take an interest for
young Adam? He could manage the money himself."

"I wouldn't go to a relative of mine for a cent, even if the children
were starving," said Kate. "Get, and keep, THAT clear in your head."

"But you think there is something in it?" he persisted.

"I know there is," said Kate with finality. "In the hands of the right