to think ’t I meant him I begin to doubt ’s it was worth while to tackle him further.  One man can lead a horse to water, but a thousand can’t get him to stick his nose in ’f he don’t want to, ‘n’ I thank my stars ‘t I ain’t got nothin’ ’n me as craves to marry a man ’s appears dead-set ag’in’ the idea.  I asked him ’f he did n’t think ‘s comin’ into property was always a agreeable feelin’, ‘n’ he said, ’Yes, but not when with riches come a secret thorn in the flesh,’ ‘n’ at that I clean give up, ‘n’ I hope it was n’t to my discredit, for no one on the face of the earth could ‘a’ felt ’t there ’d be any good in keepin’ on.  But it was no use, ‘n’ you know ’s well as I do ’t I never was give to wastin’ my breath, so I out ‘n’ told him ‘t I was n’t giv’ to wastin’ my time either, ‘n’ then I stood up ‘n’ he did too.  ‘N’ then I got even with him, ‘n’ I c’n assure you ’t I enjoyed it, f’r I out ‘n’ told him ’t I ’d changed my mind about the quarter.  So he had all that long walk for nothin’, ‘n’ I can’t in conscience deny ’t I was more ’n rejoiced, for Lord knows I did n’t consider ’t he’d acted very obligin’.”

Mrs. Lathrop ceased to chew and looked deeply sympathetic.

There was a brief silence, and then she asked, “Was you thinkin’ o’ tryin’ any—­”

Miss Clegg stared at her in amazement.

“Mrs. Lathrop!  Do you think I’d give up now, ‘n’ let the minister see ‘t my marryin’ depended on his say-so?  Well, I guess not!  I’m more dead-set ‘n’ ever, ‘n’ I vow ‘n’ declare ’t I’ll never draw breath till after I’ve stood up right in the face o’ the minister ‘n’ the whole congregation ‘n’ had ‘n’ held some man, no matter who nor when nor where.  Marryin’ was goin’ to have been a pleasure, now it’s a business.  I’m goin’ to get a horse ‘n’ buggy this afternoon ‘n’ drive out to Farmer Sperrit’s.  I’ve thought it all over, ‘n’ I c’n tell father ‘t I’ll be choppin’ wood; then ’f he says afterwards ’t he called ‘n’ called, I c’n say ‘t I was makin’ so much noise ’t I did n’t hear him.”

“You’ll have to hire—­” suggested Mrs. Lathrop.

“I know, but it won’t cost but fifty cents, ‘n’ I saved a quarter on the minister, you know.  I’d like to ask you to drive out with me, Mrs. Lathrop, but if Mr. Sperrit’s got it in him to talk like the minister did, I’m free to confess ’t, I’d rather be alone to listen.  ‘N’ really, Mrs. Lathrop, I must go in now.  I’ve got bread a-risin’ ‘n’ dishes to do, ‘n’, as I told you before, this is father’s day to be all but scraped ‘n’ varnished.”

Mrs. Lathrop withdrew her support from the fence, and Miss Clegg did likewise.  Each returned up her own path to her own domicile, and it was long after that day’s tea-time before the cord of friendship got knotted up again.

“Did you go to the farm?” Mrs. Lathrop asked.  “I was to the Sewin’ So—­”

“Yes, I went,” said Miss Clegg, her air decidedly weary; “oh, yes, I went.  I had a nice ride too, ‘n’ I do believe I saw the whole farm, from the pigs to the punkins.”