of speech and restive under obligation. I would have thee remind her that
an unwillingness to accept help from others argues a want of Christian
Meekness. Entreat her from me not to conceal her needs from our neighbors,
if so be she find her work oppressive. We know them to be of kindly
intention, though not of our way of thinking in all particulars. Let her
receive help from them, not as individuals, but as instruments of the
Lord's protection, which it were impiety and ingratitude to deny.'"

"There!" cried Shep. "That means thee is to let Luke Jordan finish the
sheep-washing. Thee'd better have done it in the first place. We shouldn't
have the old ewe to pick if thee had."

Dorothy was dimpling at the idea of Luke Jordan in the character of an
instrument of heavenly protection. She had not regarded him in that light,
it must be confessed, but had rejected him with scorn.

"He may, if he wants to," she said; "but you boys shall drive them over.
I'll have nothing to do with it."

"And shear them too, Dorothy? He asked to shear them long ago."

"Well, _let_ him shear them and keep the wool too."

"I wouldn't say that, Dorothy," said Rachel Barton. "We need the wool, and
it seems as if over-payment might not be quite honest, either."

"Oh, mother, mother! What a mother thee is!" cried Dorothy laughing and
rumpling Rachel's cap-strings in a tumultuous embrace.

"She's a great deal too good for _thee_, Dorothy Barton."