h, she placed it where it would be best screened from both house and
barn. Then setting the potatoes in the shade, she went to her mother,
put her arm around her, and drew her to the seat. She took her
handkerchief and wiped her face, smoothed back her straggled hair, and
pulling out a pin, fastened the coil better.

"Now rest a bit," she said, "and then tell me why you are glad to see
me, and exactly what you'd like me to do here. Mind, I've been away
seven years, and Adam told me not a word, except that Father was gone."

"Humph! All missed the mark again," commented Mrs. Bates dryly. "They
all said he'd gone to fill you up, and get you on his side."

"Mother, what is the trouble?" asked Kate. "Take your time and tell me
what has happened, and what YOU want, not what Adam wants."

Mrs. Bates relaxed her body a trifle, but gripped her hands tightly
together in her lap.

"Well, it was quick work," she said. "It all came yesterday afternoon
just like being hit by lightning. Pa hadn't failed a particle that any
one could see. Ate a big dinner of ham an' boiled dumplings, an' him
an' Hiram was in the west field. It was scorchin' hot an' first Hiram
saw, Pa was down. Sam Langley was passin' an' helped get him in, an'
took our horse an' ran for Robert. He was in the country but Sam
brought another doctor real quick, an' he seemed to fetch Pa out of it
in good shape, so we thought he'd be all right, mebby by morning,
though the doctor said he'd have to hole up a day or two. He went
away, promisin' to send Robert back, and Hiram went home to feed. I
set by Pa fanning him an' putting cloths on his head. All at once he
began to chill.

"We thought it was only the way a-body was with sunstroke, and past
pilin' on blankets, we didn't pay much attention. He SAID he was all
right, so I went to milk. Before I left I gave him a drink, an' he
asked me to feel in his pants pocket an' get the key an' hand him the
deed box, till he'd see if everything was right. Said he guessed he'd
had a close call. You know how he was. I got him the box and went to
do the evening work. I hurried fast as I could. Coming back, clear
acrost the yard I smelt burning wool, an' I dropped the milk an' ran.
I dunno no more about just what happened 'an you do. The house was
full of smoke. Pa was on the floor, most to the sitting-room door, his
head and hair and hands awfully burned, his shirt burned off, laying
face down, and clear go