" And she turned toward the house.
Then she added, "You must be weary and anxious to get away."
"You were right; my bones DO ache. And look at my hands. I know
you'll say they need washing; but count the blisters."
"I also said, Mr. Minturn, that you would know better next time.
So you see I was right then and am right now."
"Are you perfectly sure?"
"I see no reason to think otherwise." In turning, she had faced a
young sugar-maple which he had aided her in planting early in the
afternoon. Now she snipped at it nervously with her pruning-
shears, for he would not budge, and she felt it scarcely polite to
leave him.
"Well," he resumed, after an instant, "it has a good look, hasn't
it, for a man to fulfil an obligation literally?"
"Certainly, Mr. Minturn," and there was a tremor in her tone; "but
you have done a hundred-fold more than I expected, and never were
under any obligations."
"Then I am free to begin again?"
"You are as free now as you have been all day to do what you
please." And her shears were closing on the main stem of the
maple.
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