any
means! The Dutch could fight too!

Father's pencil scraped a little, a bee that had slipped in buzzed over
the apple butter, while the clock ticked as if it used a hammer. It
was so loud one wanted to pitch it from the window. May and I sat
still as mice when the cat is near. Candace couldn't keep away from
the kitchen door to save her, and where mother went I hadn't an idea,
but she wasn't getting an extra good supper. Shelley and Leon were
quieter now. May nudged me, and I saw that his arm around her was
gripping her tight, while her hand on his head was patting him and
fingering his hair.

Ca-lumph! Ca-lumph! came the funniest sound right on the stone walk
leading to the east door, then a shrill whicker that made father drop
his pencil. Leon was on his feet, Shelley beside him, while at the
door stood Laddie grinning as if his face would split, and with her
forefeet on the step and her nose in the room, stood the prettiest, the
very prettiest horse I ever saw. She was sticking her nose toward
Leon, whinnying softly, as she lifted one foot, and if Laddie hadn't
backed her, she would have walked right into the dining-room.

"Come on, Weiscope, she's yours!" said Laddie. "Take her to the barn,
and put her in one of the cow stalls, until we fix a place for her."

Leon crossed the room, but he never touched the horse. He threw his
arms around Laddie's neck.

"Son! Son! Haven't you let your feelings run away with you? What
does this mean?" asked father sternly.

"There's nothing remarkable in a big six-footer like me buying a
horse," said Laddie. "I expect to purchase a number soon, and without
a cent to pay, in the bargain. I contracted to give five hundred
dollars for this mare. She is worth more; but that should be
satisfactory all around. I am going to earn it by putting five of Mr.
Pryor's fancy, pedigreed horses in shape for market, taking them
personally, and selling them to men fit to own and handle real horses.
I get one hundred each, and my expenses for the job. I'll have as much
fun doing it as I ever had at anything. It suits me far better than
plowing, even."

Mother entered the room at a sweep, and pushed Leon aside.

"Oh you man of my heart!" she cried. "You man after my own heart!"

Laddie bent and kissed her, holding her tight as he looked over her
head at father.

"It's all right, of course?" he said.

"I never have known of anything quite so altogether right," said