eggs, and produce to pay expenses will encourage me more than all the people
of Oakville, if they should come in a body. What's the use of talking in this
way? I've done without the neighbors so far, and I'm sure they've been very
careful to do without me. I shall have nothing to do with them except in the
way of business, and as I said to you down at Lemuel Weeks's, business must be
the first consideration with us all," and he rose from the table.

"Oh, certainly, certainly!" the widow hastened to say, "but then business is
like a cloud, and the meetings and greetings of friends is a sort of silver
lining, you know. What would the world be without friends--the society of
those who take an abiding interest? Believe me, Mr. Holcroft," she continued,
bringing her long, skinny finger impressively down on the table, "you have
lived alone so long that you are unable to see the crying needs of your own
constitution. As a Christian man, you require human sympathy and--"

Poor Holcroft knew little of centrifugal force; but at that moment he was a
living embodiment of it, feeling that if he did not escape he would fly into a
thousand atoms. Saying nervously, "I've a few chores to do," he seized his
hat, and hastening out, wandered disconsolately around the barn. "I'm never
going to be able to stand her," he groaned. "I know now why my poor wife shook
her head whenever this woman was mentioned. The clack of her tongue would
drive any man living crazy, and the gimlet eyes of that girl Jane would bore
holes through a saint's patience. Well, well! I'll put a stove up in my
room, then plowing and planting time will soon be here, and I guess I can
stand it at mealtimes for three months, for unless she stops her foolishness
she shan't stay any longer."

Jane had not spoken during the meal, but kept her eyes on Holcroft, except
when he looked toward her, and then she instantly averted her gaze. When she
was alone with her mother, she said abruptly, "We aint a-goin' to stay here