man alive could help wantin' me after them bonds was found, 'n' I had
the great pleasure o' learnin' that fact out o' Lawyer Weskin himself.
All his species o' fun-makin' 't nobody but hisself ever sees any fun
in, jus' died right out when we unlocked father's old desk 'n' come on
that bundle o' papers. He give one look 'n' then all his gay
spinniness oozed right out o' him, 'n' he told me 's serious 's a
judge 't a woman 's rich 's I be needed a good lawyer to look out f'r
her 'n' her property right straight along. Well, I was 's quick to
reply 's he was to speak. 'N' I was to the point too. I jus' up 'n'
said, Yes, I thought so myself, 'n' jus' 's soon 's I got things to
rights I was goin' to the city 'n' get me one."

Miss Clegg paused to frown reminiscently; Mrs. Lathrop's eyes never
quitted the other's face.

"There was Mr. Sperrit too. Come with a big basket o' fresh vegetables
't he said he thought 'd maybe tempt my appetite. I d'n' know 's I
ever enjoyed rappin' no one over the knuckles more 'n I did him. I
jus' stopped to take in plenty o' breath 'n' then I let myself out,
'n' I says to him flat 'n' plain, I says, 'Thank you kindly, but I
guess no woman in these parts 's better able to tempt her own appetite
'n' I be now, 'n' you'll be doin' me the only kindness 't it's in you
to do me now if you'll jus' take your garden stuff 'n' give it to some
one 's is poor 'n' needin'.' He looked so crestfallen 't I made up my
mind 't it was then or never to settle my whole score with him, so I
up 'n' looked him right in the eye 'n' I says to him, I says, 'Mr.
Sperrit, you didn't seem to jus' realize what it meant to me that day
't I took that horse 'n' buggy 'n' drove 'way out to your farm to see
you; you didn't seem to think what it meant to me to take that trip:
but I c'n tell you 't it costs suthin' for a woman to do a thing like