170 WHEAT AND WOMAN 



and pressing, and squeezing and giving vent to 

 my feelings. At the end of that time I had about 

 a quart of Molly's milk in the pail, and I hadn't 

 even looked at the hard cow. I got up for a moment 

 to ease my cramped limbs, and Molly, thoroughly 

 fed up from the prolonged ceremony, walked off 

 gaily, kicking over the pail in her exit ! 



As I turned into the cottage with rage and 

 rebellion in my heart, Hardwick minor came across 

 the wheat-field. " My brother asked me to come 

 over and milk for you," he said. " He couldn't get 

 away himself because of the chores at Guy's. He 

 said he knew you would be alone, and in difficulty 

 over the milk." 



I told him the story of the morning. 



" I'll go and catch her and finish her off now before 

 I milk the other one," he said, " and as it's late 

 they will be all right until to-morrow," he added 

 consolingly. 



It is not a scrap of use to pretend because one can 

 record delightful bits of chivalry, now and then, 

 that as a rule my chore- boys did their duty. They 

 didn't and they don't. The newcomer is immediately 

 taught by the old soldier in chore-boys to make 

 as much as he can and do as little as he possibly can 

 for his money. But if I had much to forgive 

 I had also much to be grateful for, and undoubtedly 

 much was forgiven me. 



Later on that Sabbath day there was a sound of 

 wheels, a well-filled democrat stopped at my gate, 

 and I recognized the Creegans. 



It was the first time they had seen the farm and 

 they were awfully nice about everything. They 

 praised the lines of green wheat, the jolly view, the 



