"Is she the woman?"

"That I'm thinkin' of marryin'? Not much! Willie bows to her and passes
on. She reminds me of a blue heron, and the wind whistles when she
passes."

"How did you happen to mention her?"

"Oh, she flew into my head--so different from my woman. I know'd the
Professor when he tried to keep boarders over near Antioch. Talked his
house empty. Took up a tramp that had book sense, and kept him till the
old woman drove him off. It took more than a hint to get rid of him. She
throw'd his wallet and stick out into the road. He picked 'em up, and
went back into the house to argy Scripture with the Professor. Then she
flew at him with a fire-shovel, and he hulled out. What makes you so
glum on women, Bill?"

"What makes a dog so glum on cats?"

"There must be somethin' wrong, sure enough, when you put it that way.
What's wrong?"

"Oh, they've raised hell over at the house."

"The women have? Well, that's their business, Bill; that's their trade."

"I guess you're right," Milford replied, with a laugh. He got up, took
down his pipe, and went out for a half-hour's smoke on the grass, in the
shade of the walnut tree. The smoke soothed him. Tobacco may be a great
physical enemy, he argued, but a briar-root pipe is the most trustworthy
timber for president of a peace society. Why are women so unforgiving?
Because they do not smoke. Why was James the First a pedantic ass?
Because he wrote a pamphlet against tobacco. Milford lay back in a
forgiving muse. Perhaps, after all, the slim woman had not been so much
at fault. She had too much sympathy to be very strong, and it is manly
to forgive a woman's weakness; it is, at least, manly to acknowledge to
ourselves that we do. It is also manly to hold a slight grudge as a
warning against a recurrence of the offense. Milford would hold a
grudge, and show it by sulking. He would keep himself apart from them
during the week, and on Sunday he would walk high-headed past the house.
This was a sound and respectable resolution, and he smiled upon his own
resources. It took occasion to inspire a plan. And the woman who did not
care whether he were engaged to a thousand women? He would--of course,
he would speak to her, but with distinct reserve. However, some time
must pass before he would give any of them a chance to speak to him.

A boy came up through the orchard and halted at the garden fence.
Milford asked him what was wanted. "They are going to have some music