support you for the first year. And I'll help you sew, and do all
I can for you. Now wipe up and look your handsomest!"

Nancy Ellen arose and put her arms around Kate's neck, a
stunningly unusual proceeding. "Thank you," she said. "That is
big and fine of you. But I always have shirked and put my work on
you; I guess now I'll quit, and do my sewing myself."

Then she slipped the pink dress over her head and stood slowly
fastening it as Kate started to leave the room. Seeing her go:
"I wish you would wait and meet Robert," she said. "I have told him
about what a nice sister I have."

"I think I'll go on to Adam's now," said Kate. "I don't want to
wait until they go some place, and I miss them. I'll do better to
meet your man after I become more accustomed to bare facts,
anyway. By the way, is he as tall as you?"

"Yes," said Nancy Ellen, laughing. "He is an inch and a half
taller. Why?"

"Oh, I hate seeing a woman taller than her husband and I've always
wondered where we'd find men to reach our shoulders. But if they
can be picked at random from the berry patch --"

So Kate went on her way laughing, lifting her white skirts high
from the late August dust. She took a short cut through the woods
and at a small stream, with sure foot, crossed the log to within a
few steps of the opposite bank. There she stopped, for a young
man rounded the bushes and set a foot on the same log; then he and