cross at having to do more than his share
of the work. "Damn yeh!" he cried, as
Gillispie appeared. "Where yeh been?"

"Making garden," responded Gillispie,
slowly.

"Making garden!" Henderson indulged
in some more harmless oaths.

Just then Gillispie drew from under his
coat a large and friendly looking apple-pie.
"Yes," he said, with emphasis; "I've bin
a-makin' garden fur Mis' Ford."

And so it came about that the three Johns
knew her and served her, and that she never
had a need that they were not ready to
supply if they could. Not one of them
would have thought of going to town with-
out stopping to inquire what was needed
at the village. As for Catherine Ford, she
was fighting her way with native pluck and
maternal unselfishness. If she had feared
solitude she did not suffer from it. The
activity of her life stifled her fresh sorrow.
She was pleasantly excited by the rumors
that a railroad was soon to be built near the
place, which would raise the value of the
claim she was "holding down" many thou-