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the glass。 〃He was always such a great hand for good； cold wata。 My！
He'd 'a liked youa kitchen； Mrs。 Claxon。 He always was such a home…body；
and he did get so ti'ed of hotels。 For all he had such an appearance；
when you see him； of bein'well！stiff and proud； he was fah moa common
in his tastesI don't mean common； exactly； eithathan what I was； and
many a time when we'd be drivin' through the country； and we'd pass some
o' them long…strung…out houses； don't you know； with the kitchen next to
the wood shed； and then an ahchway befoa you get to the stable； Mr。 Landa
he'd get out； and make an urrand； just so's to look in at the kitchen
dooa； he said it made him think of his own motha's kitchen。 We was both
brought up in the country； that's a fact； and I guess if the truth was
known we both expected to settle down and die thea； some time； but now
he's gone； and I don't know what'll become o' me； and sometimes I don't
much care。 I guess if Mr。 Landa'd 'a seen youa kitchen； it wouldn't 'a'
been so easy to git him out of it； and I do believe if he's livin'
anywhe' now he takes as much comfo't in my settin' here as what I do。
I presume I shall settle down somewhe's before a great while； and if you
could make up youa mind to let your daughta come to me for a little visit
till spring； you couldn't do a thing that 'd please Mr。 Landa moa。〃
Mrs。 Claxon said that she would talk it over with the child's father； and
then Mrs。 Lander pressed her to let her take Clementina back to the
Middlemount with her for supper； if they wouldn't let her stay the night。
After Clementina had driven away； Mrs。 Claxon accused herself to her
husband of being the greatest fool in the State； but he said that the
carriage was one of the Middlemount rigs； and he guessed it was all
right。 He could see that Clem was wild to go； and he didn't see why she
shouldn't。
〃Well； I do； then；〃 his wife retorted。 〃We don't know anything about the
woman； or who she is。〃
〃I guess no harm'll come to Clem for one night；〃 said Claxon； and Mrs。
Claxon was forced back upon the larger question for the maintenance of
her anxiety。 She asked what he was going to do about letting Clem go the
whole winter with a perfect stranger； and he answered that he had not got
round to that yet； and that there were a good many things to be thought
of first。 He got round to see the rector before dark； and in the light
of his larger horizon； was better able to orient Mrs。 Lander and her
motives than he had been before。
When she came back with the girl the next morning； she had thought of
something in the nature of credentials。 It was the letter from her
church in Boston； which she took whenever she left home； so that if she
wished she might unite with the church in any place where she happened to
be stopping。 It did not make a great impression upon the Klaxons； who
were of no religion； though they allowed their children to go to the
Episcopal church and Sunday…school； and always meant to go themselves。
They said they would like to talk the matter over with the rector； if
Mrs。 Lander did not object； she offered to send her carriage for him； and
the rector was brought at once。
He was one of those men who have； in the breaking down of the old
Puritanical faith； and the dying out of the later Unitarian rationalism；
advanced and established the Anglican church so notably in the New
England hill…country； by a wise conformity to the necessities and
exactions of the native temperament。 On the ecclesiastical side he was
conscientiously uncompromising； but personally he was as simple…mannered
as he was simple…hearted。 He was a tall lean man in rusty black； with a
clerical waistcoat that buttoned high； and scholarly glasses； but with a
belated straw hat that had counted more than one summer； and a farmer's
tan on his face and hands。 He pronounced the church…letter； though quite
outside of his own church； a document of the highest respectability； and
he listened with patient deference to the autobiography which Mrs。 Lander
poured out upon him； and her identifications； through reference to this
or that person in Boston whom he knew either at first or second hand。
He had not to pronounce upon her syntax； or her social quality； it was
enough for him； in behalf of the Claxons； to find her what she professed
to be。
〃You must think；〃 he said； laughing； 〃that we are over…particular； but
the fact is that we value Clementina rather highly； and we wish to be
sure that your hospitable offer will be for her real good。〃
〃Of cou'se；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。 〃I should be just so myself abort her。〃
〃I don't know；〃 he continued； 〃that I've ever said how much we think of
her； Mrs。 Richling and I； but this seems a good opportunity； as she is
not present。
She is not perfect； but she comes as near being a thoroughly good girl as
she can without knowing it。 She has a great deal of common…sense； and we
all want her to have the best chance。〃
〃Well； that's just the way I feel about her； and that's just what I mean
to give her；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。
〃I am not sure that I make myself quite clear；〃 said the rector。
〃I mean； a chance to prove how useful and helpful she can be。 Do you
think you can make life hard for her occasionally？ Can you be peevish
and exacting； and unreasonable？ Can you do something to make her value
superfluity and luxury at their true worth？〃
Mrs。 Lander looked a little alarmed and a little offended。 〃I don't know
as I undastand what you mean； exactly；〃 she said； frowning rather with
perplexity than resentment。 〃But the child sha'n't have a care； and her
own motha couldn't be betta to her than me。 There a'n't anything money
can buy that she sha'n't have； if she wants it； and all I'll ask of her
is 't she'll enjoy herself as much as she knows how。 I want her with me
because I should love to have her round； and we did from the very fust
minute she spoke； Mr。 Lander and me； both。 She shall have her own money；
and spend it for anything she pleases； and she needn't do a stitch o'
work from mohnin' till night。 But if you're afraid I shall put upon her〃
〃No； no；〃 said the rector； and he threw back his head with a laugh。
〃When it was all arranged； a few days later； after the verification of
certain of Mrs。 Lander's references by letters to Boston； he said to
Clementina's father and mother； 〃There's only one danger； now； and that
is that she will spoil Clementina； but there's a reasonable hope that she
won't know how。〃 He found the Claxons struggling with a fresh misgiving；
which Claxon expressed。 〃The way I look at it is like this。 I don't
want that woman should eva think Clem was after her money。 On the face
of it there a'n't very much to her that would make anybody think but what
we was after it； and I should want it pootty well undastood that we
wa'n't that kind。 But I don't seem to see any way of tellin' her。〃
〃No；〃 said the rector； with a sympathetic twinkle； 〃that would be
difficult。〃
〃It's plain to be seen；〃 Mrs。 Claxon interposed； 〃that she thinks a good
deal of her money； and I d' know but what she'd think she was doin' Clem
most too much of a favor anyway。 If it c