106 MY TEN-ROD FARM; 



" You are not yourself, Mrs. Oilman. Come, make 

 one more effort. Perhaps we can save a portion of your 

 property." 



"No, I cannot." 



"But you must. What are the children to do if you 

 give up in despair? " 



" The children ! What of them ? " 



" I say you must come out with me and see if we can- 

 not repair damages." 



"I am ready. I will be calm. What must I do 

 first?" 



"In the first place send Johnny and Mary for every 

 blanket, sheet, cloth, or carpet they can find, and then let 

 them cover the glass with them to shut out the sun. Bid them 

 hasten as the sun will soon be high. Call your boy also, 

 and have him build a fire as quickly as possible, and, as for 

 yourself, come with me to the plant-house." 



On reaching the building he went to the pump, and, un- 

 rolling the hose, placed the brass nozzle in my trembling 

 hands, saying : - 



" Now let me pump, and do you go carefully over every 

 plant and drench it with water." 



Dragging the hose after me, I entered the west house, 

 and at once the pump began to work. We worked in si- 

 lence. There was no sound save the steady clank of thi 

 pump, the rush of the water, and the loud beating of my 

 heart. 



