ven, and so they would be if women had had a hand in the
business."

This decorative turnout was drawn by a tandem team, consisting of a milch
cow and a burro, with the cow in front. Which, after due introduction to
the stranger, she explained, regulated the behavior of both animals.

"With Balaam in the middle, and him inclinin' to balk, and Rosetty
in front, it works double-action. Them that use their wits is twice
served. If he stops, the wagon runs onto him, and if she's in a movin'
mood, that drags him. If she gets lazy, he butts her and thus, why--I've
tried it both ways, changing their places more'n once. This is the best.
How you like Californy?"

"Very much."

"Come for your health?"

"Partly, for that."

"H-m-m. Folks with you?"

"No. I'm alone."

"Maybe you've got no folks. Some hasn't. Ephraim, yonder, is one.
He'd be in a fix if 'twasn't for Jessie and me. I come about once
in so often and straighten out all the crooks. Took them pills, Ephy?"

Mr. Hale tried to repress a smile and failed, but "Forty-niner" burst
into a loud laugh, and replied:

"No, Aunt Sally, and what's more I'm not going to. Why should I? Who
never have an ache or pain--that medicine will cure," he added, looking
tenderly upon Lady Jess and remembering his grief of the past night.

"Well, you ought to have. 'Tisn't human nature to live to eighty and
not have. I'm twenty years younger'n you are and I ache from head to
foot, some days."

"Asking questions sort of wears you out, I reckon."

"Now, Ephy, don't get playful. Not at your age. It's not a good sign.
Besides, my hen chicken's been crowing more'n once this trip. That's
a sign of death--somewhere."

"Giddap, Stiffleg!"

Ephraim urged his horse forward, meaning to forewarn the "boys" of who
and what was coming. Jessica comprehended and quickly followed, but her
object was to bespeak a different kind of welcome from that he intended.
Neither knew, then, just how heartily glad they would be before many
hours were over of the helpful, yet disturbing, presence of this same
masterful woman.

The Easterner was left to jog alongside the curious team and its more
curious mistress, who, even, while she held the rope reins in one
hand, was threading her needle and sewing that patchwork which was as
characteristic of her as the ceaseless knitting was of Elsa.

In fact, when one came to look at her closely, there were seen assorted
bits of cloth, fragments of some "block,"