"You would turn the world upside down!" he cried.
Levis made no answer. He heard the carriage at the door and Ellen and Mrs. Sassaman coming in. He wished that they had not returned so soon, but here they were. He hoped that his visitors would depart before Matthew finished his work at the barn.
Ellen ran in, her cheeks aglow. When she saw her grandfather, she hurried forward.
"Why, Grandfather, when did you come?"
"A little while ago." There was a quiver under his long beard.
"And Amos! Amos, I'm studying with Father and I'm not coming back to school."
"So I hear," answered Amos.
After this no one spoke, but all looked at Ellen with hunger in their eyes. Standing between them, she felt uncomfortable. She loved them and she knew that they did not feel kindly toward one another. A week ago she would have offered to sit on her grandfather's knee, or she would have taken her fine collection of correct "examples" to show her teacher. Now she moved backward toward her father, who laid his hands on her shoulders and held her close to him.
"I'm studying with Father," said she, as though she were defending him. "Some day I'm going to be an honor to him."