“Kate, I’m sorry I said anything,”
he said hastily. “I wouldn’t offend
you purposely, you know.”
Kate looked at him in surprise. “But I’m
not offended,” she said, snapping an ear and
reaching for another. “I am merely telling
you! Don’t give me a thought! I’m
all right! If you’ll save me an hour the
next time Little Poll has a tooth coming through,
you’ll have completely earned my gratitude.
Tell Agatha I’ll come as soon as I finish my
evening work.”
That was clearly a dismissal, for Kate glancing across
the field toward Adam, saw that he had advanced to
a new shock, so she began husking faster than before.
Robert said good-bye and started back toward
his car. Kate looked after him as he reached
the fence. A surge of pity for him swept up
in her heart. He seemed far from happy, and he
surely was very tired. Impulsive as always,
she lifted her clear voice and called: “Robert!”
He paused with his foot on a rail of the fence, and
turned toward her.
“Have you had any dinner?” she asked.
He seemed to be considering. “Come to
think of it, I don’t believe I have,”
he said.
“I thought you looked neglected,” said
Kate. “Sonny across the field is starting
a shock ahead of me; I can’t come, but go to
the kitchen — the door is unlocked —
you’ll find fried chicken and some preserves
and pickles in the pantry; the bread box is right
there, and the milk and butter are in the spring house.”
He gave Kate one long look. “Thank you,”
he said and leaped the fence. He stopped on
the front walk and stood a minute, then he turned
and went around the house. She laughed aloud.
She was sending him to chicken perfectly cooked,
barely cold, melon preserves, pickled cucumbers, and
bread like that which had for years taken a County
Fair prize each fall; butter yellow as the goldenrod
lining the fences, and cream stiff enough to stand
alone. Also, he would find neither germ nor mould
in her pantry and spring house, while it would be
a new experience for him to let him wait on himself.
Kate husked away in high good humour, but she quit
an hour early to be on time to go to Agatha.
She explained this to Adam, when she told him that
he would have to milk alone, while she bathed and
dressed herself and got supper.
When she began to dress, Kate examined her hair minutely,
and combed it with unusual care. If Robert was
at Agatha’s when she got there, she would let
him see that her hair was not sunburned and ruined.
To match the hair dressing, she reached back in her
closet and took down her second best white dress.
She was hoping that Agatha would be well enough to
have a short visit. Kate worked so steadily
that she seldom saw any of her brothers and sisters
during the summer. In winter she spent a day
with each of them, if she could possibly manage.
