"I'm not much behind you, Adin, as far as years go."
"I did hope that Dean would be in a position to help me when I got along in years. I mistrust I made a mistake when I let him go out West. If he'd stayed here, he might have been a good deal of help to us both."
"Still there didn't seem to be much of a prospect for the boy."
"He could have managed the farm when he got a little older."
"That is true, but it has never given you a living, Adin. You've had to depend upon your trade."
"He could have learned the same trade. A trade's a good thing for a boy to have to fall back upon."
"He may come back, and realize all your expectations, Adin. We mustn't despond till we have reason to."
"There's another thing that's worryin' me, Sarah—it's the mortgage. Next week six months' interest falls due—twenty-four dollars—and I haven't the money to meet it."
"Squire Bates won't push you, surely."
"I don't know. Once or twice lately when I met the squire he dropped a hint that he was short of money. I didn't say much, but it struck me he had an object in sayin' what he did."