dea to carry a bottle of the real thing. Many a farmer, for a good
cigar and a few swallows of the right thing, would warm up and sign
such a contract as could be got in no other manner; while he would need
it on cold days himself. George stopped in the moonlight to slap his
leg and laugh over the happy thought. "By George, Georgie, my boy," he
said, "most days will be cold, won't they?"

He had no word to say to Kate of his change of feeling in the matter.
He did not want to miss the chance of twitting her at every opportunity
he could invent with having thrown away half her inheritance; but he
was glad the whole thing was settled so quickly and easily. He was now
busy planning how he would spend the money Kate agreed to pay him for
the ravine; but that was another rosy cloud she soon changed in colour,
for she told him if he was going to be a partner he could put in what
money he had, as his time was no more valuable than she could make hers
teaching school again--in other words, he could buy his horse and buggy
with the price she paid for the location, so he was forced to agree.
He was forced to do a great many things in the following months that he
hated; but he had to do them or be left out of the proposition
altogether.

Mrs. Bates and Adam administered the Bates estate promptly and
efficiently. The girls had their money on time, the boys adjusted
themselves as their circumstances admitted. Mrs. Bates had to make so
many trips to town, before the last paper was signed, and the last
transfer was made, that she felt she could not go any farther, so she
did not. Nancy Ellen had reached the point where she would stop and
talk a few minutes to Kate, if she met her on the streets of Hartley,
as she frequently did now; but she would not ask her to come home with
her, because she would not bring herself in contact with George Holt.
The day Kate went to Hartley to receive and deposit her check, and
start her bank account, her mother asked her if she had any plan as to
what she would do with her money. Kate told her in detail. Mrs. Bates
listened with grim face: "You better leave it in the bank," she said,
"and use the interest to help you live, or put it in good farm
mortgages, where you can easily get ten per cent."

Kate explained again and told how she was doing all the buying, how she
would pay all bills, and keep the books. It was no use. Mrs. Bates
sternly insisted that she should do no such thing. In s