Abe looked at his sister, and Mary nodded. Yes,
Simpson said as, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand,he came from the
shack.
He himself went tofetch the register of attendance.
But, once broken, the price tumbled steadily till, latein the fall, it reached
pre-war levels.
When Frances appeared, she looked
apprehensive.
No, it hadbeen no trouble to find the place; how
could one mistake it? Abes help was welcome, for he had moved a house
before.
Abe could hardly ask why she had not written to
him.
Ruth would like to put Francesout to board. You
mean it was I who sent her to high school? Youd have to pay threedollars for a
ten-hour day; and time and a half for overtime. Again all eyes were focused on Abe
Spalding.
He shook himself toexpel the icy air; and slowly,
deliberately, he fed his horses. His annual interest chargeswould, under changed
conditions, have paid for a farm. And there I saw your girl in the cab of the
engine, sittingon the knees of the engineer.
Between the new barn and the granaries lay the cool
shade of thetowering structure. The train was slowing down to gointo that siding at
Willett.
And there, for the time being, the matter
rested.
After breakfast he did more; he went over
tohelp.
As for the contents ofthis exercise, it confirmed
his aversion to the whole system.
Abe switched on the reading light at the head of
his bed and swunghis feet to the floor. Hell bring me a new one to-morrow night;
thatll be jake with me. He returned to the school which was being dismissed for the
noonrecess. Abe looked at his sister, and Mary nodded.
Pallor spread over the face of the girl; the look
in her eyesbecame tragic. He went to the window to look out; but itwas too dark to
see.