THE BAPTISM OF DIRT 



She let the hickory shirt drop in her lap and 

 looked into vacancy a moment, as if she had seen 

 a phantom temptation pass by. 



&quot; There s a good many stragglers stop here in 

 the course of the year,&quot; she said, &quot;but they are 

 never women.&quot; 



The Doctor instantly corroborated this idea. 

 &quot; I understand,&quot; he said. &quot; Women can be al 

 most everything that men can be, except tramps. 

 But we are not tramps.&quot; 



&quot; No, you don t talk like tramps. I have been 

 tryin to make out what you are.&quot; 



&quot; Neighbours,&quot; I ventured. &quot; We are staying 

 at the Hotchkiss farm for a while.&quot; 



&quot;Oh, is that so Gabe Hotchkiss s. It ain t 

 so lonesome there, I guess.&quot; 



&quot;It s about the same kind of a farm as this. 

 They raise the same kind of stuff.&quot; 



&quot; We never could raise city boarders,&quot; she said 

 rather shyly. &quot; I heard Gabe would be sellin the 

 place. I suppose his niece will be gettin married. 

 She s had plenty of chances.&quot; 



As this verged upon gossip, and we were not 

 disposed to discuss our friends, the breakfast 

 came to an end ; and shortly afterward, when 

 we were about to set out, the girl slipped a 

 package of luncheon into the Doctor s pocket, 

 and when we were some distance down the 

 road, feeling sure that we would look back, 

 she waved an adieu to us with the hickory 

 shirt. 



&quot; What do you suppose she meant by saying 



75 



