第48章

Thenhekissedme，andTHATwassettled。SoIwonderedwhenyoulongedforanythingsohardyoureallyfeltitwasworthbotheringGodabout，whetherthequickestwaytogetitwastoaskHimforit，ortotrytoputalotofloveintotheheartofsomepersonwhocoulddowhatyouwanted。IdecideditallwentbacktoGodthough，formostofthetimeprobablywewouldn’tknowwhotherightonewastotrytoawakenlovein。IwasmightysurenoneofuseverdreamedLaddiecouldwalkovertoPryors’，andcomebackwiththathorse，inawayperfectlysatisfactorytoeveryone，slickasaneel。

YoushouldhaveseenLeonfollowingaroundafterLaddie，tryingtodothingsforhim，takingonhisworktogivehimmoretimewiththehorses，gettingupearlytofinishhisownstunts，sohecouldgoovertoPryors’andhelp。Mothersaidithaddonemoretomakeamanofhimthananythingthateverhappened。IthelpedShelley，too。Somethingseemedtobreakinher，whenshecriedsowithLeon，becausehewasintrouble。ThenhewassocrazytoshowoffhishorsehehadShelleyrideupanddownthelane，whileheranalongandled，soshegotalotofexercise，anditmadehergoodandhungry。Ifyoudon’tthinkbythistimethatmymotherwasthebeatenestwomanalive，I’llproveittoyou。

Whenthesupperbellrangtherewasstrawberrypreservesinsteadoftheapplebutter，biscuit，friedchicken，andmashedpotatoes。

Shemusthaveslappedthosechickensintotheskilletbeforetheyknewtheirheadswereoff。WhenShelleycametothetable，forthefirsttimesinceshe’dbeenhome，hadpinkinhercheeks，andtalkedsome，andatetoo，motherforgotherownsupper。Shefumbledoverherplate，butscarcelytouchedeventhelivers，andthosedeliciouslittlekidneysinthetailpiecelikeLeonandI

hadatSally’swedding。Whenwefinished，anditwastimeforhertogivethesignaltoarise，noonehadaskedtobeexcused，shesaid：“LetushaveawordwiththeMostHigh。“Thenshebowedherhead，soallofusdidtoo。“OLord，wepraiseTheeforallThytendermercies，andallThylovingkindness。Amen！“

Ofcoursefatheralwaysaskedtheblessingtobeginwith，andmostlyitwasthesameone，andthatwasallatmealtime，butthiswasalittleextrathatmothercouldn’tevenwaituntilnighttotelltheAlmighty，shewassopleasedwithHim。MaybeI

haven’ttoldeverythingabouther，afterall。Fathermusthavethoughtthatwaslovelyofher；hesurelyfeltashappyasshedid，toseeShelleybetter，forhehuggedandkissedheroverandover，finishingathernecklikehealwaysdid，andthenIbe-

hanged，ifhedidn’thugandkisseverylastoneofus——tight，eventheboys。Shelleyheheldlongandclose，andpattedheralittlewhenhelethergo。Itmademewonderiftherestofusdidn’tgetours，sohe’dhaveachanceatherwithouthernoticingit。Onethingwasperfectlyclear。Ifshamecametous，theyweregoingtoloveher，andsticktighttoherrightstraightthroughit。

Nowthateverythingwasclearedupso，Shelleyseemedalittlemorelikeherselfeveryday，althoughitwasbadenoughyet；I

thoughtImightaswellhurryuptheendalittle，andstopthetroublecompletely，soIbeganwatchingforachancetoaskher。

ButIwantedtogetherawayoffalone，sonoonewouldseeifsheslappedme。Ididn’tknowhowlongI’dhavetowait。I

triedcoaxinghertotheorchardtoseeabluebird’snest，butsheaskedifbluebirdswerebuildinganydifferentthatyear，andIhadtoadmittheywerenot。ThenItriedtheblue-eyedMarybed，butshesaidshesupposeditwasstillundertheclingpeachtree，andtheflower，twowhitepetalsup，twobluedown，andsoitwas。JustasIwasbeginningtothinkI’dhavetotakethattotheLordinprayer，Igotmychancebyaccident。

MayandCandacewereforevergoingsnakehunting。Youwouldthinkanyonewithcommonsensewouldleavethemaloneandbegladofthechance，butnoindeed！Theywentnearlyeverydayassoonasthenoonworkwasfinished，andstayeduntiltimetogetsupper。Theydidhaveheapsoffunandwildexcitement。Maywasgentle，andtenderwitheverythingelseonearth；soI’sposeshehadarighttobruisetheserpentwithherheel——reallysheusedsticksandstones——ifshewantedto。IaskedherhowsheCOULD，andshesaidtherewasaplaceintheBiblethattoldhowasnakecoaxedEvetoeatanapple，thattheLordhadtoldhershemustn’ttouch；andsoshegotusintomostofthetroubletherewasintheworld。MaysaiditwasallthefaultoftheSNAKEtobeginwith，andshemeanttopayupeveryoneshecouldfind，becauseshehadnoneoftheapple，andlotsofthetrouble。

CandacecriedsomuchbecauseFrederickSwartzhadbeenlaidinthetomb，thatmotherwaspleasedtohavehercheerup，evenenoughtogosnakehunting。

ThatafternoonMehitabelHeastyhadcometovisitMay，soshewentalong，andIfollowed。Theypokedaroundthedriftwoodatthefloodgatebehindthebarn，andweregivinguptheplace。

Candacehadcrossedthecreekandwascomingba

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