第24章

Ninainherpoorwayhadlongingsandaspirations。Shewantedtomarry“aYankee，“andnotoneofherownkind。Shehadalittleschoolingobtainedatthesmallbrickshedunderthetoweringcottonwoodtreeatthecornerofherfather’sfarm；butherlifehadbeenoneofhardworkandmightylittleplay。HerparentsspokeinGermanaboutthefarm，andcouldspeakEnglishonlyverybrokenly。HeronlybrotherhadadventuredintotheforeignpartsofPineCountyandhadbeenkilledinasawmill。Herlifewaslonelyandhard。

ShehadsuitorsamongtheGermans，plentyofthem，butshehadadisgustofthem-consideredaspossiblehusbands-andthoughshewenttotheirbeerydancesoccasionally，shehadalwaysinhermindtheease，lightness，andcolorofClaude。SheknewthattheYankeegirlsdidnotworkinthefields-eventheNorwegiangirlsseldomdidsonow，theyworkedoutintown-butshehadbeenbroughtuptohoeandpullweedsfromherchildhood，andherfatherandmotherconsidereditgoodforher，andbeingagentleandobedientchild，shestillcontinuedtodoasshewastold。

Claudepitiedthegirl，andusedtotalkwithher，duringhisshortstay，inhischeeriestmanner。

“Hello，Nina!Howyouvass，ain’tit？Howmuchcreamalreadyyougotthismorning？Didyouhearthenews，not？“

“No，vothasshappened？“

“Everything。FrankMcvey’shorsesteppedthroughthebridgeandbrokehisleg，andhe’sgoingtosuethecounty-meanFrankis，notthehorse。“

“Issdotso？“

“Sure!andBillHetnerhadafight，andJuliaDooriliager’sgothome。“

“VotwassBillfightdingapoudt？“

“Oh，drunk-fightingforexercise。Hain’tgotafreshpiecut？“

Herfacelightedup，andsheturnedsosuddenlytogothatherbarelegshowedbelowherdress。Herunstockingedfeetwerethrustintocoarseworkingshoes。Claudewrinkledhisnoseindisgust，buthetookthepieceofgreencurrantpieonthepalmofhishandandbittheacuteanglefromit。

“First-rate。Youdomakelickin’goodpies，“hesaidOutofpurekindnessofheart，andNinawasradiant。

“Shewouldn’tbesobad-lookin’iftheydidn’tworkherinthefieldslikeahorse，“hesaidtohimselfashedroveaway。

TheneighborswerewellawareofNina’sdevotion，andMrs。

Smith，wholivedtwoorthreehousesdowntheroad，said，“Goodevening，Claude。SeenNinatoday？“

“Sure!andshegavemeapieceofcurrantpie-herownmake。“

“Didyoueatit？“

“DidI？Iguessyes。Iain’trefusin’piefromNina-notwhileherpahasfivehundredacresofthebestlandinMolassesGap。“

Now，itwasthisinnocentjokingonhispartthatstartedallClaude’strouble。Mrs。Smithcalledacoupleofdayslaterandhadherjokewith’Cindy。

“’Cindy，yourcake’salldough。“

“Why，what’sthematternow？“

“Claudecomealongt’otherdaygrinnin’fromeartoear，andsomecurrantpieinhismusstache。HehadjestfixeditupwithNina。Hejestasmuchassaidhewasaftertheoldman’sacres。“

“Well，lethimhave’em。Idon’tknowasitinterestsme，“replied’Cindy，wavingherheadlikeabanner。“IfhewantstosellhimselftothatgreasyDutchwomanwhy，lethim，that’sall!Idon’tcare。“

HerheatedmannerbetrayedhertoMrs。Smith，wholaughedwithhugeenjoyment。

“Well，youbetterwatchout!“

Thenextdaywasverywarm，andwhenClaudedroveupundertheshadeofthebigmapleshewasreadyforachatwhilehishorsesrested，but’Cindywasnowheretobeseen。Mrs。Kennedycameouttogettheamountoftheskimmingandstartedtore-enterthehousewithouttalk。

“Where’stheyoungfolks？“askedClaudecarelessly。

“IfyoumeanLucindy，she’sinthehouse。“

“Ain’tsickornothin’，isshe？“

“Notthatanybodyknowsof。Don’texpecthertobeheretogasswi

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