"
Tom could not explain, but he did something a great deal better; for
the first time since he ceased being a baby and his mother began to
tire of him, he acted affectionately to the woman who was leaning upon
him. He put his strong arm around her, and repeated the single word
"Mother" often and earnestly. As for Mrs. Kimper, no further
explanation seemed necessary.
After mother and son had become entirely in accord, through methods
which only Heaven and mothers understand, Mrs. Kimper began to make
preparations for the family's mid-day meal. While she worked, her
daughter Jane appeared, and threw cold water upon a warm affectional
glow by announcing,--
"I'm fired."
"What do you mean, child?" asked her mother.
"Just what I say. That young Ray Bartram, that's the Prency gal's
feller, has been comin' to the house almost ev'ry day while I've been
workin' there, an' he's been awful polite to me. He never used to be
that way when him an' the other young fellers in town used to come down
to the hotel an' drink in the big room behind the saloon. Miss Prency
got to askin' me questions about him this morning, an' the less I told
her the madder she got, an' at last she said somethin' that made me get
up an' leave."
"What's _he_ ever had to do with _you_?" asked Mrs.
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