“A cupboard?” said Karen; —­ “some sort like that?”

“No, no; I’ll shew you what I mean, in my room; it is called a bureau.  And a washstand —­ a large one, if you can find it.  And a rocking-chair —­ the handsomest one that can be had.”

“I know them two,” said Karen.  “That’ll be a load, Miss Lizzie.  I don’t b’lieve the wagon ’ll hold no more.”

“The first fine day, Karen, I want you to go.”

“The days is all fine, I speck, hereabouts,” said Karen.  “We’ll start as quick as Anderese gets a wagon.”

“Who’s comin’, Miss ’Lizabeth?” said Clam as she met her young lady coming out of the kitchen.

“I don’t know —­ possibly Mrs. Haye.  I wish all things to be in readiness for her.”

“Where’ll she sleep, Miss ’Lizabeth,” said Clam with opening eyes.

“Here.”

“Will she have this for her bedroom? —­ And what’ll you do, Miss ’Lizabeth?”

“If she comes, we will eat in the kitchen.”  And with the thought the young lady stepped back.

“I forgot —­ Karen, do you think the wagon will hold no more?  Anderese must get a large one.  I want a few neat chairs —­ plain ones —­ cane-bottomed, or rush-bottomed will do; I want them for this room; for if this lady comes we shall have to take this for our eating-room.  I don’t want a table; we can make this do; —­ or we can take the one I use now; but we want the chairs.”

“Well, Miss Lizzie, you’ll have to have ’em —­ we’ll manage to pile ’em on someways.”

And Miss Haye withdrew.

“Ain’t this a start now?” said Clam after she had rubbed her knives in silence for several minutes.  “Didn’t I tell you so?”

“Tell what?” said Karen.

“Why! that Miss ’Lizabeth couldn’t keep quiet more’n long enough to get her spunk up.  What in the name of variety is she at work at now!”

“What’s the matter with you?” grumbled Karen.

“Why I tell you,” said Clam facing round, “them two love each other like pison!”

“That’s a queer way to love,” said Karen.

“They hate each other then —­ do you understand me? they hate so, one wouldn’t thaw a piece of ice off the other’s head if it was freezin’ her!”

“Maybe ‘tain’t jus’ so,” said Karen.

“What do you know about it!” said Clam contemptuously.

“What do you, perhaps?” suggested Karen.

“I know my young lady,” said Clam rubbing her knives, “and I know t’other one.  There ain’t but one person in this world that can make Miss ’Lizabeth keep her fire down —­ but she does have an idee of mindin’ him.”

“Who’s that?” said Karen.

“Somebody you don’t know, I guess,” said Clam.

“If ’twas all true, she wouldn’t want her here,” said Karen.

“It’s all true,” said Clam, —­ “’cept the last. You don’t know nothin’, Karen.  We’ll see what a time there’ll be when she comes.  Eat in here! —­”