ed to Slap-back, an' that bodacious creetur had sech
a way o' gittin' around the chile, sometimes, 'fore Dinah knew it, she'd be
listenin' to 'er ag'in; but Dinah'd had one good scare an' she didn't mean
to give in. Jest now, too, her daddy fell sick. That good man, that lonely
man, he'd had a mighty hard time of it, an' no chile to care or love 'im."

"Wait," interrupted Emilie sternly. "If you are going to let Dinah's father
die, I'm going home."

The apple woman showed the whites of her eyes in the astonished stare she
gave her.

"Because"--Emilie swallowed and then finished suddenly--"because it
wouldn't be nice."

The apple woman looked straight out over her stand. "Well, he didn't, an'
Dinah made him mighty glad he got well, too; for she stopped buryin' her
head in pictur' books, an' she did errands for gran'mam without whinin',
an' she minded Mose so her daddy had mo' peace when he come home tuckered
out; an' when she'd got so she could smile at the boy in the next cabin,
'stead o' runnin' out her tongue at him, the fairy, Love, could stay by
without smoochin' her gown, an' Slap-back had to melt away an' sail off to
try her capers on some other chile."

"But you needn't pretend you saw her with us," said Franz uneasily.

The apple woman nodded her red bandana wisely. "Folks that lives outdoors
the way I do, honey, sees mo' than you-all," she answered.

Emilie ran home ahead of her brother, and softly entered her father's
room. He was at his desk, as was usual at this hour. His head leaned on his
hand, and he was so deep in his work that he did not notice her quiet
entrance. She curled up on the sofa in her usual attitude, but instead of
reading she watched little Peter on the floor building his block house. His
chubby hands worked carefully until the crooked house grew tall, then in
turning to find a last block he bumped his head on the corner of a chair.

Emilie watched him rub the hurt place in silence. Then he got up on his fat
legs and went to the desk, where he stood patiently, his round face very
red and solemn, while he waited to gain his father's attention.

At last the busy man became conscious of the child's presence, and,
turning, looked down into the serious eyes.

"I'm here wid a boomp," said Peter. Then after receiving the consolation of
a hug and kiss he returned contentedly to his block house.

Emilie saw her father look after the child with a smile sad and tender. Her
heart beat faster