"He certainly was," acquiesced Peggy. "Do you want to sell Pepper too?"
"I'd sell my HEART, miss, if I could get things fer Nell."
"Who is Nell?"
"My girl, miss. Nigh 'bout yo' age, I reckons, but not big an' healthy an' spry like yo'. She's ailin' most o' the time, but we's mighty po,' miss, mighty po'. We ain't allers been, but things have gone agin us pretty steady. Last year the hail spoilt the crops, an' oh well, yo' don't want ter hear 'bout my troubles."
"I want to hear about any one's troubles if I can help them. How shall you get back to your place?"
"Reckon I'll have ter onhitch an' ride Pepper back, on'y I jist natchelly hate ter see Nell's face when I get thar 'thout Salt. She set sich store by them horses, an' they'd foiler her anywheres. I sort ter hate ter start, miss."
"Listen to me," said Peggy. "What does Nell most need?"
"Huh! MOST need? Most need? Well if I started in fer ter tell what she MOST needs I reckon you'd be scart nigh ter death. She needs everythin' an' seems like I can't git nothin'."
"Well what did you hope to get for her?" asked Peggy, making a random shot.
"Why she needs some shoes pretty bad, an' the doctor said she ought ter have nourishin' things ter eat, but, somehow, we can't seem ter git many extras."