62 THE STBIKE AT SHANE'S. 



spoke about it. But I don't believe that had anything 

 to do with it." 



"I don't go nothin' on them foolish notions of his," 

 said Shane; "but it does look like there's a kind of 

 a fate follerin' me this spring." 



" Well, don't worry over it, an' we'll plant it over 

 again, an' may be it will come out all right in the 

 end." 



"There'll be nothin' in it this year. If the worms 

 took it once they'll take it again, an' we'll get nothin' 

 out of the corn crop this year." 



Tom left Shane more despondent than ever, and he 

 spent the remainder of- the day in a very bad mood. 

 As the shades of evening crept around him he felt the 

 burden of his misfortunes more severely than ever. 

 This, in connection with his broken limb, was more than 

 he could bear, and caused him to groan aloud. The 

 sound reached Edith, who sat in the adjoining room. 

 She crept silently into his room and approached his 

 bed. 



"Poor papa, are you suffering miUch?" she asked. 



"Oh! 3^es, my girl; it seems like everything is 

 goin' to ruin." 



"Why, papa, how you talk," and she knelt down 

 by his bedside. "Haven't you a good home, and a 

 loving family, and kind neighbors?" 



"Yes, yes, I know; but then there'll be nothin' 

 made on the. farm this year." 



"What if there isn't ; we will be just as happy." 



" You don't understand, girl ; you are not old enougli 

 to understand these things." 



