free trade?' I says. Dean had to give in that he didn't know. 'Might
have to let their wives support 'em,' he says, pompous as ever. 'That
would be a calamity, wouldn't it, Lute?' That wasn't no answer, of
course. But you can't expect sense of a Democrat. I left him fumin' and
come away. I've thought of a lot more questions to ask him since and
I was hopin' I could get at him this mornin'. But no! Dorindy's sot on
havin' this yard raked, so I s'pose I've got to do it."

He had dropped the rake, but now he leaned over, picked it up, and rose
from the wash bench.

"I s'pose I've got to do it," he repeated, "unless," hopefully, "you
want me to run up to the village and do your errand for you."

"No; I hadn't any errand."

"Well, then I s'pose I'd better start in. Unless there was somethin'
else you'd ruther I'd do to-day. If there was I could do this
to-morrer."

"To-morrow would have one advantage: there would be more to rake then.
However, judging by Dorinda's temper this morning, I think, perhaps, you
had better do it to-day."

"What's Dorindy doin'?"

"She is dusting the dining-room."

"I'll bet you! And she dusted it yesterday and the day afore. Do you
know--" Lute sat down again on the bench--"sometimes I get real worried