44 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



they go on at this rate that won't be far out of his 

 reckoning either." 



The next day the master unexpectedly took his 

 departure with one of the men, promising to return 

 early in the following week. On Monday one of 

 the men retired to his room with lumbago. On 

 Tuesday down came the rain, and in came the men. 

 It was late in the afternoon of this dull day that I 

 suggested to one of them that I wanted two little 

 tables, and a kitchen cupboard and some shelves. 

 He gladly started to work on these furnishing trifles, 

 which if purchsed at a store could not have cost 

 more than ten dollars. 



Towards the end of the week the master returned, 

 and again work went forward merrily; but it was 

 discovered that the measurement had been three 

 feet out, and that additional lumber must be 

 fetched. The granaries were then started. The 

 contractor estimated the cost of the first at fourteen 

 dollars, the second might be a little less. I suggested 

 twenty-six dollars for the two, and he seemed to 

 assent; but added that the cost of the veranda 

 would slightly exceed his estimate owing to the 

 fault in the measurement. 



" How much more ? " I inquired. 



" Well, the stones have taken time to remove, 

 and one thing and another made it a more trouble- 

 some job than I expected." 



" It won't come out at more than forty-five 

 dollars, will it ? " I said with anxiety, although 

 as a matter of fact fifty dollars had been the original 

 estimate in my mind ; but had it exceeded that 

 sum I should have escaped the folly of the veranda. 



" Oh, certainly not more than that," he said 

 reassuringly ; and within the week the veranda, 



