impulsively; but when she faced the white-shirted form at the window,
she ejaculated, "Oh, my!" and fled precipitately round the corner of
the house.

Side by side, the two took their way across lots again. Amanda was
shaking all over, with weariness and emotion spent. Suddenly a strange
sound at her side startled her into scrutiny of Caleb's face.

"Why, Caleb Rivers!" she exclaimed, in amazement, "you ain't cryin'?"

"I dunno what I'm doin'," said Caleb, brushing off two big tears with
his jumper sleeve, "an' I don't much care. It ain't your harnessin' for
yourself an' feedin' the pigs, an' my not comin' Saturday night, but
it's seein' you wheelin' that great thing all alone. An' you're so
little, 'Mandy! I never thought much o' myself, an' it al'ays seemed
kind o' queer you could think anything _of_ me; but I al'ays s'posed
you'd let me do the heft o' the work, an' not cast me off!"

"I 'ain't cast you off, Caleb," said Amanda, faintly, and in spite of
herself her slender figure turned slightly but still gratefully toward
him. And that instant, for the first time in all their lives, Caleb's
arms were upholding her, and Amanda had received her crown. Caleb had
kissed her.

"Say, 'Mandy," said he, when they parted, an hour later, by the syringa
bush at the back door, "the world won't come to an end if you don't
iron of a Tuesday. I was thinkin' we could ketch Passon True about ten
o'clock better'n we could in the arternoon."