INS AND OUTS OF THE MATTER 347 



kitchen, for you know sometimes a woman finds it 

 comfortable to have a man in the house!" 



Maria did not answer at first, but was looking at 

 the one uncurtained window, where the firelight again 

 made opals of the panes. Then turning, she said, 

 "I will think over your offer, Mr. Blake, if everything 

 may be upon a strictly business basis. But how about 

 Amos? He seems better, and I ought to be going. 

 I do not know why I should have been so foolish, 

 but for a moment he did not seem to breathe, and I 

 thought it was a stroke." 



"I'm comin' too all in good time, now my mind's 

 relieved," replied the old man, with a chuckle, "and 

 I think I'll weather to-night fer the sake o' fixin' that 

 deed termorrow, Mr. Blake, if you'll kindly give me 

 jest a thimbleful more o' that old liquor o' yourn 

 I kin manage it fust rate without the water, thank 

 J ee!" 



The Man followed Maria to the door and out into 

 the night. He did not ask her if he might go with 

 her he simply walked by her side for once unques- 

 tioned. 



Maria spoke first, and rather more quickly and 

 nervously than usual: "I suppose you think that my 

 scheme in wishing the farm is a madcap one, but I'm 



