Jane Field

resolution and audacity. She never refused to see a caller nor accept an invitation, but people never called upon her nor invited her when they could avoid it, and thus she was n

tended to encourage their advances had turned them against her,

n, who has all John Maxwell's money, is too stingy and mean to support her niece, and she too delicate to work," people said. The dressmaker to whom Lois appealed

' it right out of my pocket, likely as not-but I couldn't turn off a cat that looked up at me the way that child did. She looks pinched. I don't believe that old wom

et, and had not spent a penny of it. After Lois began to sew, her slender earnings provided them with the most frugal fare. Mrs. Field eked it out in every way that she could. She had a little vegetable garden and kept a few hens. As the season advanced, she scoured the berry pastures, and spent many hours stooping painfully over the low bushes. Three months from the time at which she came to Elliot, on the day on which her neighbors started from Green River to vi

hwest, and a steady low rumble of thunder. Lois sat out in the front yard sewing; her face was pink and moist with the heat; the sleeves of h

!" sai

" retur

rrible day

rri

She sat down clumsily on the pine needles, and fa

the library, an' got t

it g

good. Addie Green'

than she, had come to marry her. They also wondered how her mother, who had been so bitterly opposed to the match, had given in, and was now living so amicably with the young couple; they had been on the alert for a furious village feud. But when Flora and her husband had returned from their stolen wedding tour, Mrs. Maxwell h

ming up," Flora said after a

berr

she don't look out. What makes you

to get t

y need of your

aid no

"I wish I had had the money on your account. I wouldn't have let you work so. You look better

e last with a

blu

ated. "I don't suppose y

he bent her hot face

her eyes fixed warily on Lois; then she went on

I had," replied

him a bit the way

w what you m

d anything about it to me; you needn't think he has. All is, you'll never

vered. "If you don't take care you'll never g

t married to anybody," said she. "That'

her. "Why, why

won

got married," said Flora. Then she flus

swering chord in her. The two were silent a moment. Lois sewed; Flora stared off

girl had," said Flora, in a tender, shamed voi

almost turned her back t

r mind some time about get

r will," re

h to take care of yourself with some time, as far as t

ois, with sudden fire. "I'll tell you that much, once for a

e! What is the ma

titch. "Nothi

course," said Flora, in a bewilde

ois. "You are the one

so miserly with it now. There, I know she's your aunt, Lois, and I don't suppose I ought to speak so, but I can't help it. After all, it don't make much difference, or it ne

mething else, either. You don't kn

a great crash of thunder. T

ust run," she shouted through a

rm. Some flying leaves struck her in the face. At the gate a cloud of dust from the road nearly blinded her. She r

ive here?" inquired one

Flora; "that i

don

a, her head lower

ow, ain't this the

said

. "Well, I don't care," said she, "I'm comin' in, whether or no. I dunno but my bonnet-strings will spot, an' I ain't goin' to have my best clothes

near the door front, saw them coming through the greenish-yellow gloom, t

at the gate meant telling us they didn't live here. Why, Lois Field, how do you do? Where's your mother? I guess we'

and raised a little clamor of delight over her. She stood panting. She did not ask them in

had pulled off her bonnet, and was wiping it anxiously wit

as dark as night, for the shutters were clos

't have some light," she said. The hai

'!" the wome

ll shut?" Mrs. Babc

at the bedroom windows were open, and

" Mrs. Babcock herself, her face screwed tightly against an onslaught of wind and hail, shut the blinds, and the room was again

n explosion. The women looked

ome in here?" Mrs. Babcock asked excit

replied Lois, feebly.

ed Mrs. Babcock, and th

es

did sh

after d

killed. You'll never see her again, that's all. A berry pasture is the most dangerous plac

e?" said she. "If you have, I'll jest slip off my dress skirt, an' you g

anda. "Don't you know wh

outh side-door

aid Lois, in a

n. "Hadn't you better run out an' hel

rdly shaped out from the gloom. The women all arose and hurried toward her. There wa

she cried out

Green an' Mis' Babcock? We come down on an excursion ticket to Boston

is' Field?" interposed Mrs

and change your d

u come?" sai

your dress is soppin' wet! Do go an' chan

d on the windows. "Now, you go right al

bbe I'd better." She fumbled her way

t," said Mrs. Babcock imperatively to

to me," whispered Mrs. Babcock,

hey're so surprised to see u

money away," Mrs. Babcock said, almost aloud. "I think they act queer, both on 'em. I

aid Amanda. She herself was much afraid of a thunder-shower

ld wa'n't killed out i

he must have seen the cloud comin' up. This is a pretty big house, ain't it? An' I sh

arily at the strange shadows in this unf

and Lois returned, all the women, at Mrs. Babcock's order,

ls. Whenever he saw a thunder-shower comin' up, he used to make Mis' Barnes an' the children go into the parlor, an' then they'd all set in the middle of

abcock?" returned

ot your hoo

p. "Yes, I have

cared as you pretend to be in a thunder-shower. Do go in the

ere gone there was a sl

d Mrs. Babcock. "This is a nice house

," replied

ood deal of nice furnit

idera

re nice

es

-cloths an' such things? Have you b

chair a little to make room for Lois and Amand

mebbe the furniture was kind of old-fa

iercer onset. The room was lit up with a wild play o

"Don't let's talk of anything else. That struck somewheres near. There's no knowin' where it'll come ne

ng," said Mrs. Green, in

ordered rooms she had left seemed to show out before her in the fla

wickedness on our consciences," said Mrs. Babcock. "It must be terrible for them that

e," assented Mrs. G

nk how them that's broken God's commandments an' committed murders an' robberies must feel. I shouldn't

aid Mrs. Field,

ence except for awed ejaculations when now and then came a louder crash of thunder. All

's struck!" shri

is house, is it?

he room; a large barn nearly opposite was on fire. They clutched each other, a

" panted Mrs. Babcock. "Oh, ain't it

" said Mr

ht of the fire in her face. Lois was sobb

a solemn, agitated voice. "The Lord will

ng. The storm began to lull rapidly. The thunder came at long intervals, and the hail turned into a

e the way she acts," said

ind of quiet," re

nin' an' hail an' barns burnt down every day since

'd stayed to ho

should think you'd feel kinder glad of it, for them shoulder seams did look pretty long to what they wear 'em. An' I dare say folks here are pretty dressy. I declare I shall be kinder

satisfy an eager appetite. Nothing but the berries for which she had toiled so hard, a few thin slices of bre

got all that money. Sometimes it does work that way. I believe we should starve to death if we stayed here long. If it wa'n't for gittin' my

nd the tea," rejoined Amanda, "but I 'mos

' the good of that excursion ticket, that you can stay a week o