"'Yes,' she whispered with trembling lips, an' turned away.
"'What's the matter?'
"She pulled herself together an' answered in half a moment: 'Oh, I don't know! He doesn't come often. He goes around with other girls.'
"'Well,' I said, 'it's the same ol' story. He's only tryin' to keep up with Lizzie. You've done some goin' around yourself.'
"'I know, but I couldn't help it.'
"'He knows, an' he couldn't help it,' I says. 'The boys have flocked around you, an' the girls have flocked around Dan. They were afraid he'd get lonesome. If I were you I'd put a mortgage on him an' foreclose it as soon as possible.'
"'It's too late,' says she. 'I hear he's mortgaged.'
"'You'd better search the records,' I says, 'an' if it ain't so, stop bein' careless. You've put yer father on his feet. Now look out for yerself.'
"'I think he's angry on account of the ham war,' says she.
"'Why do you think that?'