He turned to his wife. "When you comin' home?" said he.

"Oh, Cephas! I jest ran over here a minute. I--wanted to
see--if--Sylvy had any emptins. Do you want me an' Charlotte to come
now?"

Cephas turned on his heel. "I think it's about time for you both to
be home," he grunted.

Sarah Barnard arose and looked with piteous appeal at Charlotte.

Charlotte hesitated a second, then she arose without a word, and
followed her mother, who followed Cephas. They went in a procession
of three, with Cephas marching ahead like a general, across the yard,
and Sylvia and Hannah stood at a window watching them.

"Well," said Hannah Berry, "all I've got to say is I'm thankful I
'ain't got a man like that, an' you ought to be mighty thankful you
'ain't got any man at all, Sylvy Crane."



Chapter III


When Cephas Barnard and his wife and daughter turned into the main
road and came in sight of the new house, not one of them appeared to
even glance at it, yet they all saw at once that there were no
workmen about, and they also saw Barnabas himself ploughing with a
white horse far back in a field at the left of it.