George made a rush at Adam.  The boy spread his feet and put up his hands, but never flinched or moved.  Kate looking on felt something in her heart that never had been there before.  She caught George’s arm, as he reached the child.

“You go on to school, little folks,” she said.  “And for Mother’s sake try not to talk at all.  If people question you, tell them to ask Mother.  I’d be so proud of you, if you would do that.”

“I will, if you’ll hold me and kiss me again like you did last night when you got out of the water,” said Polly.

“It is a bargain,” said Kate.  “How about you, Adam?”

“I will for that, too,” said Adam, “but I’d like awful well to tell how fast the water went, and how it poured and roared, while I held the light, and you got across.  Gee, if was awful, Mother!  So black, and so crashy, and so deep.  I’d like to tell!”

“But you won’t if I ask you not to?” queried Kate.

“I will not,” said Adam.

Kate went down on her knees again, she held out her arms and both youngsters rushed to her.  After they were gone, she and George Holt looked at each other an instant, then Kate turned to her work.  He followed:  “Kate —­ " he began.

“No use!” said Kate.  “If you go out and look at the highest water mark, you can easily imagine what I had to face last night when I had to cross the bridge to open the sluice-gate, or the bridge would have gone, too.  If the children had not wakened with the storm, and hunted me, I’d have had to stay over there until morning, if I could have clung to the tree that long.  First they rescued me; and then they rescued you, if you only but knew it.  By using part of the money I had saved for the house, I can rebuild the dam; but I am done with you.  We’re partners no longer.  Not with business, money, or in any other way, will I ever trust you again.  Sit down there and eat your breakfast, and then leave my sight.”

Instead George put on his old clothing, crossed the bridge, and worked all day with all his might trying to gather building material out of the water, save debris from the dam, to clear the village street.  At noon he came over and got a drink, and a piece of bread.  At night he worked until he could see no longer, and then ate some food from the cupboard and went to bed.  He was up and at work before daybreak in the morning, and for two weeks he kept this up, until he had done much to repair the work of the storm.  The dam he almost rebuilt himself, as soon as the water lowered to normal again.  Kate knew what he was trying to do, and knew also that in a month he had the village pitying him, and blaming her because he was working himself to death, and she was allowing it.