A COMPOSITE FAMILY 263 



knot and his speech struggle in his throat as, to 

 conceal it, he drained the dipper again. Then, 

 coming back, he fumbled in a leather wallet worn 

 inside his shirt, and drew out a strip of paper 

 bearing the five figures that would not only place 

 Time o' Year beyond need, but make him a per- 

 sonage among the neighboring farming folk. 



As I was about to tell my pleasure, he raised 

 his hand. "'Sh! that's not all. I ain't reached 

 the real trouble yet. He was married, it turned 

 out, more 'n twenty years ago, and he 's left a 

 grown-up darter, and last night the carrier brought 

 this letter, and was terrible curious about it." And 

 from his pocket Time o' Year drew a square en- 

 velope of lilac paper, heavily scented, and addressed 

 in a bold, nervous hand, his name prefixed with 

 Squire, and "Hill Crest Farm" added to the usual 

 address. It read: 



DEAR GRANDFATHER: 



Now that dad is dead, I have no people but you. Dad 

 married ma right out of the convent, where she, having no 

 people, was left a baby. When I was born, she died, and I 

 lived at the vineyard with dad until it was time to send me 

 off to school to be rubbed up a bit, like the other girls, and 

 then I went for four years to San Francisco, and only got 

 back a year ago. 



