lows in the Adams lane Jed began to talk of going out
west again. Tin-peddling was not possible in winter, and he didn't
think he would try it another summer. Mattie listened with dismay in
her heart. All summer she had made much of Jed, by way of tormenting
Selena. But now she realized what he really meant to her. The old love
had wakened to life in her heart; she could not let Jed go out of her
life again, leaving her to the old loneliness. If Jed went away
everything would be flat, stale, and unprofitable.

She knew him to be at heart the kindest, most gentle of human beings,
and the mere fact of his having been unsuccessful, even what some of
his old neighbours might call stupid, did not change her feelings
toward him in the least. He was Jed--that was sufficient for her, and
she had business capability enough for both, when it came to that.

Mattie began to drop hints. But Jed would not take them. True, once or
twice he thought that perhaps Mattie did care a little for him yet.
But it would not do for him to take advantage of that.

"No, I just couldn't do that," he told the pony. "I worship the ground
that woman treads on, but it ain't for the likes of me to tell her so,
not now. Get up, my nag, get up. This has been a mighty pleasant
summer with that visit to look forward to every week. But it's about
over now and you must tramp, Jed."

Jed sighed. He remembered that it was more romantic than ever, but all
at once this failed to comfort him. Romance up to a certain point was
food; beyond that it palled, so to speak. Jed's romance failed him
just when he needed it most.

Mattie, meanwhile, was forced to the dismal conclusion that her hints
were thrown away. Jed was plainly determined not to speak. Mattie felt
half angry with him. She did not choose to make a martyr of herself to
romance, and surely the man didn't expect her to ask him to marry her.

"I'm sure and certain he's as fond of me as ever he was," she mused.
"I suppose he's got some ridiculous notion about being too poor to
aspire to me. Jed always had more pride than a Crane could carry.
Well, I've done all I can--all I'm going to do. If Jed's determined to
go, he must go, I s'pose."

Mattie would not let herself cry, although she felt like it. She went
out and picked apples instead.

Mattie might have remained so and Jedediah's romance might never have
reached a better ending, if it had not been for Selena, who came over
just then to help Matti