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d； or buried without a woman gittin' herself mixed up in the business。 If she ain't wrappin' you in swaddlin' bands； you may be sho' she's measurin' off yo' windin'…sheet。 Mark my words； Mr。 Christopher； I don't believe thar's ever been a fight fought on this earthbe it a battle or a plain fisticuffthat it warn't started in the brain of somebody's mother； wife； or sweetheart an' it's most likely to have been the sweetheart。 It is strange； when you come to study 'bout it； how sech peaceable…lookin' creaturs as women kin have sech hearty appetites for trouble。〃
〃Well； trouble may be born of a woman； but it generally manages to take the shape of a man；〃 observed Mrs。 Spade from behind the counter； where she was filling a big glass jar with a fresh supply of striped peppermint candy。 〃And as far as that goes； ever sence the Garden of Eden； men have taken a good deal mo' pleasure in layin' the blame on thar wives than they do in layin' blows on the devil。 It's a fortunate woman that don't wake up the day after the weddin' an' find she's married an Adam instid of a man。 However； they are as the Lord made 'em； I reckon；〃 she finished charitably； 〃which ain't so much to thar credit as it sounds； seein' they could have done over sech a po' job with precious little trouble。〃
〃Oh； I warn't aimin' at you； Susan；〃 Tom hastened to assure her； aware from experience that he entered an argument only to be worsted。 〃You've been a good wife to me； for all yo' sharp tongue； an' I've never had to git up an' light the fire sence the day I married you。 Yes； you've been a first…rate wife to me； an' no mistake。〃
〃I'm the last person you need tell that to；〃 was Mrs。 Spade's retort。 〃I don't reckon I've b'iled inside an' sweated outside for mo' than twenty years without knowin' it。 Lord！ Lord！ If it took as hard work to be a Christian as it does to be a wife； thar'd be mighty few but men in the next worldan' they'd git thar jest by followin' like sheep arter Adam〃
〃I declar'； Susan； I didn't mean to rile you；〃 urged Tom； breaking in upon the flow of words with an appealing effort to divert its course。 〃I was merely crackin' a joke with Mr。 Christopher； you know。〃
〃I'm plum sick of these here jokes that's got to have a woman on the p'int of 'em；〃 returned Mrs。 Spade； tightly screwing on the top of the glass jar。 〃I've always noticed that thar ain't nothin' so funny in this world but it gits a long sight funnier if a man kin turn it on his wife。〃
〃Now； my dear〃 helplessly expostulated Tom。
〃My name's Susan； Tom Spade； an' I'll have you call me by it or not at all。 If thar's one thing I hate on this earth it's a 'dear' in the mouth of a married man that ought to know better。 I'd every bit as lief you'd shoot a lizard at me； an' you ain't jest found it out。 If you think I'm the kind of person to git any satisfaction out of improper speeches you were never mo' mistaken in yo' life； an' I kin p'int out to you right now that I ain't never heard one of them words yit that I ain't had to pay for it。 A 'dear' the mo' is mighty apt to mean a bucket of water the less。 Oh； you can't turn my head with yo' soft tricks； Tom Spade。 I'm a respectable woman； as my mother was befo' me； an' I don't want familiar doin's from any man； alive or dead。 The woman who does； whether she be married or single； ain't no better than a femalethat's my opinion！〃
She paused to draw breath； and Tom was quick to take advantage of the intermission。 〃Good Lord； Mr。 Christopher； those darn young fools are at it agin！ 〃 he exclaimed； darting toward the adjoining room。
With a stride； Christopher pushed past him and； opening the door； stopped uncertainly upon the threshold。
At the first glance he saw that the trouble was between Will and Fred Turner； and that Will； because of his slighter weight； had got very much the worst of the encounter。 The boy stood now； trembling with anger and bleeding at the mouth； beside an overturned table； while Freda stout； brawny fellowwas busily pummelling his shoulders。
〃You're a sneakin'； puny…livered liar； that's what you are！〃 finished Turner with a vengeance。
Christopher walked leisurely across the room。
〃And you're another；〃 he observed in a quiet voicethe voice of his courtly father； which always came to him in moments of white heat。 〃You are exactly thata sneaking； puny…livered liar。〃 His manner was so courteous that it came as a surprise when he struck out from the shoulder and felled Fred as easily as he might have knocked over a wooden tenpin。 〃You really must learn better manners；〃 he remarked coolly； looking down upon him。
Then he wiped his brow on his blue shirt…sleeve and called for a glass of beer。
Chapter III。 Mrs。 Blake Speaks her Mind on Several Matters
Breakfast was barely over the next morning when Jim Weatherby appeared at the kitchen door carrying a package of horseshoe nails and a small hammer。
〃I thought perhaps Christopher might want to use the mare early；〃 he explained to Cynthia； who was clearing off the table。 There was a pleasant precision in his speech； acquired with much industry at the little country school； and Cynthia； despite her rigid disfavour； could not but notice that when he glanced round the room in search of Lila he displayed the advantage of an aristocratic profile。 Until to…day she could not remember that she had ever seen him directly； as it were； she had looked around him and beyond him； much as she might have obliterated from her vision a familiar shrub that chanced to intrude itself into her point of view。 The immediate result of her examination was the possibility she dimly acknowledged that a man might exist as a well…favoured individual and yet belong to an unquestionably lower class of life。
〃Well； I'll go out to the stable；〃 added Jim； after a moment in which he had patiently submitted to her squinting observation。 〃Christopher will be somewhere about； I suppose？〃
〃Oh； I suppose so；〃 replied Cynthia indifferently； emptying the coffee…grounds into the kitchen sink。 The asperity of her tone was caused by the entrance of Lila； who came in with a basin of corn…meal dough tucked under her bared arm； which showed as round and delicate as a child's beneath her loosely rolled…up sleeve。
〃Cynthia； I can't find the hen…house key；〃 she began； and then； catching sight of Jim； she flushed a clear pink； while the little brown mole ran a race with the dimple in her check。
〃The key is on that nail beside the dried hops；〃 returned Cynthia sternly。 〃I found it in the lock last night and brought it in。 It's a mercy that the chickens weren't all stolen。〃
Without replying； Lila took down the key； strung it on her little finger； and； going to the door； passed with Jim out into the autumn sunshine。 Her soft laugh pulsed back presently； and Cynthia； hearing it； set her thin lips tightly as she carefully rinsed the coffee…pot with soda。
Christopher； who had just come up to the wellbrink； where Tucker sat feeding the hounds from a plate of scraps； gave an abrupt nod in the direction of the lovers strolling slowly down the hen…house path。
〃It will end that way some day； I reckon；〃 he said with a sigh； 〃and you know I'm almost of a mind with Cynthia about it。 It does s