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said he； severely； 〃trying to make her way with handicaps 〃
〃Shet up； can't ye； ye darned fool？〃 roared Gillispie。 〃What do yeh
take me fur？〃
Waite was putting on his rubber coat preparatory to going out for his
night with the cattle。 〃Guess you're makin' a mistake； my boy；〃 he said；
gently。 〃There ain't no danger of any woman bein' treated rude in these
parts。〃
〃I know it； by Jove！〃 cried Henderson； in quick contriteness。
〃All right；〃 grunted Gillispie； in tacit acceptance of this apology。 〃I
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guess you thought you was in civilized parts。〃
Two days after this Waite came in late to his supper。 〃Well； I seen
her；〃 he announced。
〃Oh！ did you？〃 cried Henderson； know… ing perfectly well whom he
meant。 〃What was she doing？〃
〃Killin' snakes； b'gosh！ She says th' baby's crazy fur um； an' so she
takes aroun' a hoe on her shoulder wherever she goes； an' when she sees a
snake； she has it out with 'im then an' there。 I says to 'er； 'Yer don't expec' t'
git all th' snakes outen this here country； d' yeh？' 'Well；' she says； 'I'm as
good a man as St。 Patrick any day。' She is a jolly one； Henderson。 She tuk
me in an' showed me th' kids； and give me a loaf of gingerbread to bring
home。 Here it is； see？〃
〃Hu！〃 said Gillispie。 〃I'm not in it。〃 But for all of his scorn he was not
above eating the gingerbread。
It was gardening time； and the three Johns were putting in every spare
moment in the little paling made of willow twigs behind the house。 It
was little enough time they had； though； for the cattle were new to each
other and to the country； and they were hard to manage。 It was generally
conceded that Waite had a genius for herd… ing； and he could take the
〃mad〃 out of a fractious animal in a way that the others looked on as little
less than superhuman。 Thus it was that one day； when the clay had been
well turned； and the seeds arranged on the kitchen table； and all things
prepared for an afternoon of busy planting； that Waite and Henderson； who
were needed out with the cattle； felt no little irritation at the inex… plicable
absence of Gillispie； who was to look after the garden。 It was quite night…
fall when he at last returned。 Supper was ready； although it had been
Gillispie's turn to prepare it。
Henderson was sore from his saddle； and cross at having to do more
than his share of the work。 〃Damn yeh！〃 he cried； as Gillispie appeared。
〃Where yeh been？〃
〃Making garden；〃 responded Gillispie； slowly。
〃Making garden！〃 Henderson indulged in some more harmless oaths。
Just then Gillispie drew from under his coat a large and friendly
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A Mountain Woman
looking apple…pie。 〃Yes；〃 he said； with emphasis； 〃I've bin a…makin' garden
fur Mis' Ford。〃
And so it came about that the three Johns knew her and served her； and
that she never had a need that they were not ready to supply if they could。
Not one of them would have thought of going to town with… out stopping
to inquire what was needed at the village。 As for Catherine Ford； she was
fighting her way with native pluck and maternal unselfishness。 If she had
feared solitude she did not suffer from it。 The activity of her life stifled her
fresh sorrow。 She was pleasantly excited by the rumors that a railroad was
soon to be built near the place； which would raise the value of the claim
she was 〃holding down〃 many thou… sand dollars。
It is marvellous how sorrow shrinks when one is very healthy and very
much occupied。 Although poverty was her close companion； Catherine
had no thought of it in this prim… itive manner of living。 She had come out
there； with the independence and determi… nation of a Western woman； for
the purpose of living at the least possible expense； and making the most
she could while the baby was 〃getting out of her arms。〃 That process has
its pleasures； which every mother feels in spite of burdens； and the mind is
happily dulled by nature's merciful provision。 With a little child tugging at
the breast； care and fret vanish； not because of the happiness so much as
because of a certain mammal complacency； which is not at all intellectual；
but serves its purpose better than the pro… foundest method of reasoning。
So without any very unbearable misery at her recent widowhood； this
healthy young woman worked in field and house； cared for her little ones；
milked the two cows out in the corral； sewed； sang； rode； baked； and was
happy for very wholesomeness。 Some… times she reproached herself that
she was not more miserable； remembering that long grave back in the
unkempt little prairie cemetery； and she sat down to coax her sorrow into
proper prominence。 But the baby cooing at her from its bunk； the low of
the cattle from the corral begging her to relieve their heavy bags； the
familiar call of one of her neighbors from without； even the burning sky of
the summer dawns； broke the spell of this conjured sorrow； and in spite of
herself she was again a very hearty and happy young woman。 Besides； if
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A Mountain Woman
one has a liking for comedy； it is impossible to be dull on a Nebraska
prairie。 The people are a merrier divertissement than the theatre with its
hackneyed stories。 Catherine Ford laughed a good deal； and she took the
three Johns into her confidence； and they laughed with her。 There was
Minerva Fitch； who insisted on coming over to tell Catherine how to raise
her children； and who was almost offended that the children wouldn't die
of sunstroke when she predicted。 And there was Bob Ackerman； who had
inflam… matory rheumatism and a Past； and who confided the latter to Mrs。
Ford while she doctored the former with homoeopathic medicines。 And
there were all the strange visionaries who came out prospecting； and quite
naturally drifted to Mrs。 Ford's cabin for a meal； and paid her in
compliments of a peculiarly Western type。 And there were the three Johns
themselves。 Catherine con… sidered it no treason to laugh at them a little。
Yet at Waite she did not laugh much。 There had come to be something
pathetic in the constant service he rendered her。 The beginning of his more
particular devoti