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"They don't know no better 'an to tuck frost-bit 'taters," she explained, "an' they'll give most anything fur butter jest now. All the 'versity boys is come back, an' butter's awful sca'ce. To tell the truth," pushing her long bonnet back, "thar ain't much o' anything to eat right now. What with layin' an' scratchin' through the winter fur a livin', the hens is wore out, an' chickens ain't in yit, an' these 'versity women is jest pestered to git sumpen fur the boys.

Hannah listened in silence. She had her own ideas about trading, and besides had very scant respect for Mrs. Wilson, either mentally or morally. She knew that her things were good, but she was determined to ask only a fair price for them. It was bad to cheat people because they were simple or "in a push." She was in a push herself, and felt sorry for them.

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An' ax a leetle moren you 'llows to git," Mrs. Wilson went on, "kase they'll allers tuck some off. Thar air a few that jest pays what you says, or don't tuck none, an' I axes them a fa'r price." They stopped at a gate as she finished, and she directed Hannah to "hitch the nag an' stiffen up."

"I ain't feared," Hannah answered, while she made old Bess fast, "but I ain't usen to peddlin', an' I don't like hit, nuther."

Mrs. Wilson laughed. "Youuns Granny keeps on a-settin' you up till nothin' ain't good enough," she said. "Lots o' folks as good as ary Warren hes been a-peddlin' a many a year." "Thet don't make hit no better fur me, Lizer Wilson, an' nothin' ain't agoin' to make hit better; any moren a dog ever likes a hog-waller," and she took down the bucket of butter with a swing that brought her face to face with her companion. One glance at Hannah's eyes, that now looked like her grandmother's, and Mrs. Wilson changed the subject.

'Leave the sacks," she said, roughly; "hit'll be time to pack 'em in when they're sold." She led the way in along a gravelled walk, Hannah looking about her curiously, and trying to conquer her rather unreasonable anger against Mrs. Wilson, before she should meet

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That people lived who thought themselves better than the Warrens or Durkets, was a new sensation to Hannah, and she wondered if her grandmother knew it. Her astonishment stilled her wrath until the thought overwhelmed her, that perhaps these people would look on her and Lizer Wilson as the same! She had followed mechanically, and before she reached any conclusion they were at the back door.

A negro woman stood wiping a pan, while a lady holding an open bucket of butter, was talking scoldingly to a woman who, as Hannah saw instantly, looked very different from the lady, and very much like Lizer and herself. There was a moment's silence as the new

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comers appeared, then the negress spoke.

'Mornin', Mrs. Wilson," she said, familiarly.

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'Mornin', Mary," Mrs. Wilson answered, in an oily tone; then to the lady she said "Mornin', Mrs. Skinner.

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Good-morning, Mrs. Wilson," the lady answered, while the woman she had been scolding turned, and Hannah recognized a person who lived near the Durkets, and who was looked down on by them just as Lizer Wilson was by the Warrens. They did not greet each other, but Hannah felt the woman's stare of wonder, that "John Warren's gal" should peddle with Lizer Wilson! She seemed to hear the story being told to the Durkets, and repeated to her grandmother by Si. Things seemed misty for a moment, then through the confusion she heard Lizer's voice. "No, I ain't got nothin' left but a few aigs; but this gal has a few things she'd like to git shed of 'fore we starts home."

Hannah listened, wondering and remembering a saying of her grand

mother's, that Lizer could "lie the kick astonished that her bushel should be outern a mule." remeasured.

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What is the price of the butter?" Thirty cents; I've done sold mine at thet; the taters is a dollar an' a heff a bushel, an' the apples a dollar.

"I have just paid twenty cents for butter; why are your things so high?" was questioned sharply,

"Ourn is extry good," Lizer answered. The negro woman smiled. Hannah's indignation was gathering, but she did not speak. Mrs. Wilson must know the ways of the place-she would wait.

"I will take the apples," the lady began, compromisingly, "but I will not take the butter nor the potatoes. How many apples have you?" to Hannah.

"A bushel," Hannah answered quickly, afraid that Lizer would say a cartload.

Mrs. Skinner looked at her keenly. I have never seen you before," she said. "She ain't never peddled befo', an' ain't got no need to come now," Lizer struck in, looking straight at the wo man from the other valley. 'She jest come along fur comp'ny, an' brung a few things fur balance-she ain't pertickler 'bout sellin'."

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The first part of this speech soothed Hannah's feelings somewhat, but the final clause, representing her as coming for the love of Lizer Wilson, was worse than the peddling.

She began to wonder if this woman could tell the truth.

"Run git youuns apples, Honey," were the next astonishing words; Lizer calling her "Honey!" She felt a sudden hatred for the woman. What had happened to her? was she really no better than Lizer? She drew a bitter sigh. Never mind, she would get a dollar for the apples instead of the "six-bits" she had thought to demand, and shouldering the apples she went back. They were carefully examined by the mistress, and generously measured by the servant.

Hit's a good bushel," Hannah said,

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"They wuz in my bushel," she said, they misewell go in yourn.' The negress laughed. "I'll teke dese, Miss Josie," she said to the lady.

There were two spots of color on Mrs. Skinner's face as she paid Hannah. "I should like some more apples if you can spare them," she said.

Hannah paused, her anger fading before the hope of more money. If she could bring them the next day? But by Sunday the storm about peddling would reach her from the Durkets, and she had no security that she would be allowed to return. "Hit's a fur way to come an' only a dollar at the end," Lizer struck in, mistaking Hannah's hesitation, and Mrs. Skinner answered, "She can bring me two bushels for two dollars and a quarter."

"I can't bring 'em atter to-morrer," Hannah said, slowly.

"Very well, bring them to-morrow." When they turned the corner of the house, Mrs. Wilson said:

"Thet wuz a good trade; you'd asold fur nothin'. Miss Harner thar, she hed put her butter at two-bits, an' only got twenty cents. These folks beats a

pusson down to nothin'."

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It was Mrs. Wilson's turn to be angry now, but as the Warrens were her rich neighbors, she only comforted herself with a promise to remember, and walked on without giving a hint as to their destination. At the next house she did not wait while Hannah tied the horse, but walked in rapidly, leaving her to come alone. Hannah was glad, for if there was danger of meeting acquaintances, she preferred not to be seen with Lizer. She walked in quite confidently, but when she reached the back door, Lizer had vanished.

She paused a moment before several closed doors, some belonging to an outhouse, and two to the main house. She knocked at one of the latter. She might be mistaken, but there was no harm in trying. Her knock was answered by a little boy who asked her business, then called to someone within: "It's a woman with butter." There was an indistinguishable answer; then the child led the way to a small room where Hannah saw so much china and glass that she wondered if they kept it for sale. She would have liked a longer look at it, and if she had known more she would have waited here, but the child had gone through another door, and she followed.

Once or twice she had heard descriptions of how the people lived in this town, that to the surrounding country was as yet an enigma. Stories of how they had no object in life but "book larnin'," and were little better than "Naytrals." Once her grandfather had said, "God made all the critters, booklarnin' critters too, an' all hes a right to live." This was the only excuse she had ever heard made for them. But she forgot all she had ever heard when she passed through the second door. It was as strange as a dream. The various kinds of furniture she had never seen before, the covered floors that made no noise, the books, the curtains, the pictures, all were new to her, at least in this reckless profusion.

"Come near the fire," a voice said, and Hannah caught a glimpse of a fire, but it seemed a long way off, and a young man in the middle distance was an almost impassable barrier. She saw no signs of Lizer, but only the young

man, and near the fire a young woman who had spoken. She moved forward slowly. The room seemed so full, and she felt herself so unusually large, that she was afraid of knocking things over. A new and disagreeable sensation, at which she could only wonder as she took her seat carefully, doubtful if the chair the young woman had placed for her would hold her.

"How much butter have you?" the young lady asked.

"Six pounds," Hannah answered, then waited to hear again the voice that was so different from any voice she had ever heard; different even from Mrs. Skinner's, that itself had been strange to her.

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And what do you ask for it?" the voice went on.

"Two-bits, an' hit's good."

"That will be one dollar and a half;' then to the child, "call Susan for me."

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"I've got some taters," Hannah suggested, hesitatingly, pushing her bonnet back a little; "taters, a bushel, good measure an' sound, fur a dollar." "I will take them also."

Hannah rose. "If your things are at the front gate, this is your shortest way out," and the young lady opened a door that led into a hall, then opened also what Hannah recognized as the front door, which Lizer had declared was sealed to traders.

"Did you observe how very handsome that girl was?" the young lady asked of her companion when she returned from the hall.

"I did not," he answered, looking contentedly into the face before him.

"Very handsome, and I am sure she will bring the potatoes in here—she seems quite bewildered."

"I thought she seemed quite at home."

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'Not at all. Her voice was very soft, too."

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Where do you live in Lost Cove?" Agnes went on.

"Hit most all b'longs to Gramper. Mrs. Wilson owns a leetle piecethen her face burned as she remembered what had just been said about Lizer. Agnes remembered too, and asked, "Is Mrs. Wilson a friend of yours?' "She is a neighbor," Hannah said; then after a moment's pause, " she come alonger me this mornin', kase I didn't know the ways ner the folks, but we couldn't 'gree, an' she leff me at youuns gate."

I am glad of that. If you had come with her I should not have bought your things; she asks two prices."

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She do thet! But she's mighty

A smile flitted across the young man's face as the words reached him, and he wondered what Hannah's idea of wealth was! "Quantity," would have been her answer, for to her this was the only dif

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"You have never been here before?" Agnes asked.

"Not to peddle, I ain't."

"Will you come again soon?" as the. servant put the bag and bucket down by Hannah.

"I hes to bring some apples to a woman to-morrer."

"Then you can bring me some-a bushel?"

"I reckon," and Hannah rose, feeling as glad about coming again as about the much coveted money she was putting into the old deer-skin purse; then Agnes shook hands with the girl over whom she had cast a spell.

"So you sold out at Agnes Welling's front do'," Mrs. Wilson said mockingly, when she met Hannah at the gate.

"I did, an' I'll wait fur you at the sto';" then Hannah mounted old Bess and rode away. She did not want to

talk to Mrs. Wilson just yet.

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And you did not ask her name?" the young man said when Hannah was gone.

"I forgot it; but was she not handsome? I shall go to Lost Cove this summer."

"We will make up a party," the young man suggested.

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No, I will go alone."

Honest, at least."

Agnes laughed softly. "Still, I mean what I say, Mr. Cartright."

"It is too far for you to go alone, your brother will not permit it."

"We will see." Then Cartright went away, slamming the gate sharply, while Agnes laughed.

III

"Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown,

With that wild wheel we go not up or down,

Our hoard is little, but our heart is great."

Ir had been a successful day, and as Hannah rode through the falling shadows, with Mrs. Wilson mounted behind

her, her heart felt light. She had the coffee and the sugar, besides two dollars toward the ploughing, and three bushels of apples engaged, making five dollars to her a fortune. And this success would mitigate the displeasure of her grandmother, unless talk from the Durkets reached her; that would stop everything.

But above all, she had looked into a new world, and her life seemed to have changed. All fear of Sewanee was gone. The people up there were strange, that is, different from any people she had known, but she liked them. She was anxious to see that "Miss Agnes" again. She would take more potatoes to-morrow, and some meat; there was no telling how much she might make.

She began to hum a tune as they jogged along; for although Mrs. Wilson's feelings permitted her to ride behind Hannah, they still prevented conversation. It was only at the Warrens's gate that Mrs. Wilson vouchsafed a dignified "Far'well, Hannah Warren," and trudged away across the fields.

Hannah was preoccupied and excited. She had been dead, and now in some strange way vigorous and uncontrollable life had come to her. Her impulse was to defy her grandmother, but habit bade her avoid any meeting until she had found out from her grandfather the state of things.

She hung the bag containing her purchases across the fence, and unsaddled the horse. In the kitchen she went through the evening's routine with forced quietness, and ran upstairs for the fodder with a lightness and haste hitherto unknown, laughing softly as, opening the end window farthest from her grandmother's room, she tossed the binds out. This would let her carry the milk pails out when she went down, and lessen by one journey into the house the danger of meeting Mrs. War

ren.

She leaned on the gate as on the afternoon when she decided to peddle; but how different was everything. She felt that she controlled her own fate now, that she could resist her grandmother and defy Si Durket. In short, she was free, and with the rare joy of having realized her bondage and free

VOL. XXII.-42

She might

dom in the same moment. have gone on forever in the old dull path, but for the necessity that drove her to peddling. The fruits of the earth and the beasts of the field had become her protectors against Si Durket. She would never tire of work again. A shadow fell on the joy, and she leaned her head on the gate. "Poor Daddy! if he hed downfaced Granny, an' peddled stiddy, an' not jest traded what happed over, Granny couldn't hev jawed him the way she did, kase he'd hev hed as much as the Durkets. Poor Daddy!" And she recalled the silent, sad-eyed man who had thought himself a failure. The tears rose to her eyes, but did not quench the anger that burned in her heart against her grandmother. "An' I'd abeen jest like him but fur peddlin'."

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The clank of the cow-bells broke on her musings, and at the sound happiness brimmed up again. Does you feel well, cows?" she said. Si Durket kin say farwell now ;" and holding open the gate, she patted the animals as they came in. This elation lasted until she had to carry wood into her grandmother's room, then unexpectedly her heart failed her.

"All she kin do is to kill me," she thought, with an incredulous smile, "an' thet's heap bettern marryin' Si."

"Hardy, Gramper!" she said as she opened the door, and there was such a cheery ring to her voice that Mrs. Warren put her great silver-rimmed spectacles in place to look at her. you git on 'thout me?" she went on, smiling reassuringly into the old man's eyes as she put down the wood.

"How'd

"Hit's been some lonesome," he answered; "hit's never been afore thet I've set all day an' never hearn a holler, ner a whistle, ner a step 'bout the ole house thet kin member so many a stomp. My Par, an' my brethers, an' my boys, all gone-all gone. But I kin 'member how ever one sot hisn heel to the flo'. I don't see how I'll ever spar' you to go clean away, Hannah.'

"You'll never need to see hit," Hannah answered. "Supper's ready, Granny," she went on, and turned to the door.

Mrs. Warren rose slowly. "You gits

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