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“Whatsneersandinsults？“sheasked，comingovertohim。
“Why，nobody’llspeaktome。“
“Won’tMr。McPhailandMr。Mcllvalne？“
“Yes；butnotastheyusedto。“
“Youcan’tblame’em，Jim。Youmustgotoworkandwinbacktheirconfidence。“
“Ican’tdothat。Let’sgoaway，Nell，andtryagain。“Hermouthclosedfirmly。Ahardlookcameintohereyes。“Youcangoifyouwantto，Jim，I’mgoin’tostayrightheretillwecanleavehonorably。Wecan’trunawayfromthis。Itwouldfollowusanywherewewent；anditwouldgetworsethefartherwewent“
Heknewtheunyieldingqualityofhiswife’sresolution，andfromthatmomenthesubmittedtohisfate。Helovedhiswifeandchildrenwithapassionatelovethatmadelifewiththem，amongthecitizenshehadrobbed，betterthanlifeanywhereelseonearth；
hehadnopowertoleavethem。
Assoonaspossiblehewentoverhisbooksandfoundoutthatheowed，aboveallnotescomingin，abouteleventhousanddollars。
ThiswasalargesumtolookforwardtopayingbyanythinghecoulddointheSiding，nowthathiscreditwasgone。Nobodywouldtakehimasaclerk，andtherewasnothingelsetobedoneexceptmanuallabor，andhewasnotstrongenoughforthat。
Hiswife，however，hadaplan。ShesentEasttofriendsforalittlemoneyatonce，andwithafewhundreddollarsopenedalittlestoreintimefortheholidaytrade-wallpaper，notions，lightdrygoods，toys，andmillinery。Shedidherownhouseworkandattendedtohershopinagrim，uncomplainingfashionthatmadeSanfordfeellikeacriminalinherpresence。Hecouldn’tproposetohelpherinthestore，forheknewthepeoplewouldrefusetotradewithhim，soheattendedtothechildrenanddidlittlethingsaboutthehouseforthefirstfewmonthsofthewinter。
Hislifeforatimewasabjectlypitiful。Hedidn’tknowwhattodo。
Hehadlosthisfooting，and，worstofall，hefeltthathiswifenolongerrespectedhim。Shelovedandpitiedhim，butshenolongerlookeduptohim。Shewentaboutherworkanddowntoherstorewithasilent，resolute，uncommunicativeair，utterlyunlikeherformersunny，domesticself，sothatevensheseemedalienliketherest。Ifhehadbeenill，VanceandMcPhailwouldhaveattendedhim；asitwas，theycouldnothelphim。
Shealreadyhadthesympathyoftheentiretown，andMcIlvainehadsaid：“Ifyouneedmoremoney，youcanhaveit，Mrs。Sanford。
Callonusatanytime。“
“Thankyou。Idon’tthinkI’llneedit。AllIaskisyourtrade，“shereplied。“Idon’taskanybodytopaymore’nathing’sworth，either。
I’mgoin’tosellgoodsonbusinessprinciples，andIexpectfolkstobuyofmebecauseI’msellingreliablegoodsascheapasanybodyelse。“
Herbusinesswassuccessfulfromthestart，butshedidnotallowherselftogettooconfident。
“Thisisakindofcharitytrade。Itwon’tlastonthatbasis。Folksain’tgoin’tobuyofmebecauseI’mpoor-notverylong，“shesaidtoVance，whowentintocongratulateheronherboomingtradeduringChristmasandNewYear。
Vancecalledsooften，advisingorcongratulatingher，thattheboysjokedhim。“Say，lookyhere!You’regom’togetintoapecko’
troublewithyourwifeyet。Youspendabouthally’rtimeinthenewstore。“
Vancelookedsereneashereplied，“I’dstaylongerandgooftenerIfIcould。“
“Well，ifyouain’tcheekier’nol’cheek!Ishouldthinkyou’dbeashamedtosayit。“
“’Shamedofit？I’mproudofit!AsItellmywife，ifI’d’a’metMis’
Sanfordwhenwewasbothyoung，theywouldn’t’a’be’nnosuchpresentarrangement。“
ThenewlifemadeitschangesinMrs。Sanford。Shegrewthinnerandgraver，butasshewenton，andtradesteadilyincreased，afeelin
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