hanging free. Her speech, as precise as her movements, was formed
into set habit through long study of the dictionary. She was born
antagonistic to whatever existed, no matter what it was. So
surely as every other woman agreed on a dress, a recipe, a house,
anything whatever, so surely Agatha thought out and followed a
different method, the disconcerting thing about her being that she
usually finished any undertaking with less exertion, ahead of
time, and having saved considerable money.

She could have written a fine book of synonyms, for as certainly
as any one said anything in her presence that she had occasion to
repeat, she changed the wording to six-syllabled mouthfuls,
delivered with ponderous circumlocution. She subscribed to papers
and magazines, which she read and remembered. And she danced!
When other women thought even a waltz immoral and shocking;
perfectly stiff, her curls exactly in place, Agatha could be seen,
and frequently was seen, waltzing on the front porch in the arms
of, and to a tune whistled by young Adam, whose full name was Adam
Alcibiades Bates. In his younger days, when discipline had been
required, Kate once had heard her say to the little fellow: "Adam
Alcibiades ascend these steps and proceed immediately to your
maternal ancestor."

Kate thought of this with a dry smile as she plodded on toward
Agatha's home hoping she could see her brother at the barn, but
she knew that most probably she would "ascend the steps and
proceed to the maternal ancestor," of Adam Bates 3d. Then she
would be forced to explain her visit and combat both Adam and his
wife; for Agatha was not a nonentity like her collection of
healthful, hard-working sisters-in-law. Agatha worked if she