“Iwishyoumighthaveseenthefigureyoucut！Thatfineteam，flowerbedecked，andthecontinuousconcert！“
　　“ButIdid！“criedLaddie。“Wehavemirrors。Thatsongcan’tbebeaten。Iknowthisteamisallright，andI’mnotdwarfedordisfigured。Thatwasthepageantofsummerpassinginreview。
　　Itrepresentedthetillingofthesoil；thesowingofseed，garneringtocomelater。Youbuycornandwheat，don’tyou？
　　Theyarevastlynecessary。Muchmoresothanthesettlingofquarrelsthatnevershouldhavetakenplace。Doyouthinkyourdaughterfoundthespectacleatallmoving？“
　　“Damnyou，sir，whatIshoulddo，istolaythiswhipacrossyourshoulders！“criedMr。Pryor。
　　Butifyouwillbelieveit，hewaslaughingagain。
　　“Ipreferthatyoudon’t，“saidLaddie，“oronRangereither。
　　Seehowhelikesbeinggentled。“
　　Thenhestraightenedanddrewadeepbreath。
　　“Mr。Pryor，“hesaid，“asmantoman，Ihavegotthistosaytoyou——andyoumayuseyourowndiscretionaboutrepeatingittoyourdaughter：IcanofferhersixfeetofassoundmanhoodasyoucanfindonGod’sfootstool。Ineverinmywholelifehavehadenoughimpurebloodinmybodytomakeevenonetinyeruptiononmyskin。Ineverhavebeenilladayinmylife。IneverhavetouchedawomansaveasIliftedandcaredformymother，andhers，ormysisters。Astomyfamilyandeducationshecanjudgeforherself。Iofferherthefirstandonlyloveofmyheart。Sheobjectstofarming，becauseshesaysitisdirty，offensivework。Therearepartsofitthataredirty。ThankGod，itonlysoilsthebody，andthatcanbewashed。Todelveandtodiveinto，andtostudyandtobroodoverthebiggerhalfofthelawbusinessofanycityistosteepyourbrainin，andsmirchyoursoulwith，suchdirtasIwoulddiebeforeI’dmakeanoccupationoftouching。Willyoukindlytellherthatwordforword，andthatIaskedyouto？“
　　Mr。PryorwasstandingbeforeIsawhimrise。Hesaidthoseawfulwordsagain，butbetweenthemhecried：“You’reright！
　　It’sthetruth！It’stheeternaltruth！“
　　“ItISthetruth，“saidLaddie。“I’veonlytovisittheoffices，andexaminethebusinessofthoseofmyfamilylivingbylaw，toKNOWthatit’sthetruth。Ofcoursethere’sanotherside！Therearetimeswhentherearegreatopportunitiestodogood；I
　　recognizethat。TosomethesemayseemtooverbalancethattowhichIobject。Iftheydo，allright。Iammerelydecidingformyself。Onceandforall，formeitisland。Itisborninmetoloveit，tohandleiteasily，togetthebestresultsfromstock。IamgoingtotaketheMerriweatherplaceadjoiningoursonthewest，andyoursonthesouth。Iintendtoleaseitfortenyears，withpurchaseprivilegeattheend，sothatifImakeofitwhatIplan，myworkwillnotbelosttome。Ihadthoughttofixuptheplaceandbeginfarming。IfMissPryorhasanyusewhateverforme，andprefersstock，thatisallrightwithme。
　　I’llgointothesamebusinessshefindssuitableforyou。Icanstartinasmallwayanddevelop。Icanaffordamaidforherfromthebeginning，butIcouldn’tclotheherasshehasbeenaccustomedtobeingdressed，forsometime。Iwoulddomybest，however。Iknowwhatstoremymothersetsbybeingwellgowned。
　　Andasahusband，Icanofferyourdaughteraslovingconsiderationaswomaneverreceivedatthehandsofman。
　　ProvidedbysomemiracleIcouldwinherconsent，wouldyouevenconsiderme，andsuchanarrangement？“
　　“Franklysir，“saidMr。Pryor，“IhavereachedtheplacewhereI
　　wouldbe——“wheneveryoucometoalongblacklinelikethat，itmeansthathejustroaredalotofwordsfatherneversaid，andneverwill——“gladto！Totellthetruth，thethingyouchoosetojestinglyrefertoas`tinware’——Ihopelatertoconvinceoftheindelicacyofsuchallusion——wouldplaceyouinEnglandonasociallevelaboveanyweeveroccupied，orcouldhopeto。Youreducationequalsours。Youareaphysicalspecimentobereckonedwith，andIbelievewhatyousayofyourself。There’ssomethingsocleanandmanlyaboutyou，itamountstoconfirmation。Awomanshouldsetherownvaluationonthat；andtheheightofitshouldcorrespondwithherknowledgeoftheworld。“
　　“Thankyou！“saidLaddie。“Youaremorethankind！morethangenerous！“
　　“AstothearrangementsyoucouldmakeforPamela，“saidMr。
　　Pryor，“she’sallwehave。Everythinggoestoher，ultimately。
　　Shehasherstipulatedallowancenow；whetherinmyhouseoryours，itwouldgowithher。Surelyyouwouldn’tbesocallousastoobjecttoourgivingheranythingthatwouldpleaseus！“
　　“WhyshouldI？“askedLaddie。“That’sonlynaturalonyourpart。
　　Yourchildisyourchild；nomatterwhereorwhatitis，youexpecttoexerciseacertainamountoflovingcareoverit。Myfatherandmotherconstantlysendthingstotheirchildrenabsentfromhome，andtheytakemuchpleasureindoingit。Thatisbetweenyouandyourdaughter，ofcourse。Ishouldn’tthinkofinterfering。Butinthemeantime，unlessMissPryorhasbeenconvertedtothebeautiesofplowingthroughmycontinuousperformanceofoveraweek，IstandnowexactlywhereIdidbefore，sofarassheisconcerned。IfyouandMrs。Pryorhavenoobjectiontome，ifyoufeelthatyoucouldthinkofme，orfindformeanyleastpartofason’splaceinyourhearts，I
　　believeIshouldknowhowtoappreciateit，andhowtogotoworktomakemyselfworthyofit。“
　　Mr。Pryorsatdownsosuddenly，therailalmostbroke。Ithoughtthetruthwas，thathehadhearttrouble，himself。Hestoppedup，chokedonthings，floppedaround，andturnedsowhite。I
　　supposehethoughtitwaswomanish，andasignofweakness。andsohedidn’ttell，butIbetanythingthathehadit——bad！
　　“I’lltrytomakethelittlefoolsee！“hesaid。
　　“Gently，gently！Youwon’thelpmeanyinthatmood，“saidLaddie。“ThechancesarethatMissPryorrepeatedwhatsheheardfromyoulongago，andwhatsheknowsyouthinkandfeel，unlessyou’vechangedrecently。“
　　“That’stheamountofit！“criedMr。Pryor。“AllmylifeI’vehadalotofbeastlynotionsinmyheadaboutrank，andclass，andheretheydon’tamounttoadamn！There’snoplaceforthem。
　　Thingsaredifferent。Yourmother，agrand，goodwoman，openedmyeyestomanythingsrecently，andIgetherviewpoint——
　　clearly，andIagreewithher，andwithyou，sir！——Iagreewithyou！“
　　“Iammorethanglad，“saidLaddie。“Youcertainlymakeafriendatcourt。Thankyouverymuch！“
　　“Andyouwillcome——？“
　　“TheinstantMissPryorgivesmetheslightestsignthatIamwanted，andwillbewelcomedbyher，I’llcomelikeaDakotablizzard！Floscanhumpherselfontimeforonce。“
　　“Butyouwon’tcomeuntilshedoes？“
　　“Manalive！Ican’t！“criedLaddie。“Yourdaughtersaidpositivelyexactlywhatshemeant。ItwasunexpectedandithitmesohardIdidn’ttrytoargue。Isimplytookheratherword，herveryexplicitword。“
　　“Fool！“criedMr。Pryor。“Thelastthingonearthanywomaneverwantsorexpectsisforamantotakeheratherword。“
　　“What？“criedLaddie。
　　“Shehadwhatshesaidinhermindofcourse，butwhatshewantedwastobearguedoutofit！Shewantedtobeconvinced！“
　　“Ithinknot！Shewasentirelytooconvincingherself，“saidLaddie。“It’smyguessthatshehasthoughtmattersover，andthathermindismadeup；butIwouldtakeitasamightybigfavourifyouwouldputthatlittlepieceofspecialpleadingsquarelyuptoher。Willyou？“
　　“Yes，“saidMr。Pryor，“Iwill。I’llkeepcoolanddomybest，butIamsounfortunateinmytemper。Icouldmanageslavesbetterthanwomen。ThistimeI’llbecalm，andreasonthingsoutwithher，orI’llblowoutmybrains。“
　　“Don’tyoudare！“laughedLaddie。“YouandIaregoingtogetmuchpleasure，comfortandprofitfromthisworld，nowthatwehavecometoanunderstanding。“
　　Mr。Pryoraroseandheldouthishand。Laddiegraspedittight，andtheystoodtherelookingstraightateachother，whilealarkonthefencepostclosebycried，“Springo’ye-ar！“atthem，overandover，buttheyneverpaidtheleastattention。
　　“Yousee，“saidMr。Pryor，“I’vebeenthinkingthingsoverdeeply，deeply！eversincetalkingwithyourmother。I’vecutmyselfofffromgoingbacktoEngland，bysacrificingmuchofmypropertyinhastydeparture，ifbyanypossibilityIshouldeverwanttoreturn，andthereisnone，nottheslightest！There’snodangerofanyonecrossingthesea，andpenetratingtothisparticularspotsofarinland；wewon’tbemolested！Andlately——lately，despitetherawness，andthenewness，thereissomethingaboutthelandthattakeshold，afterall。Ishoulddislikeleavingnow！Ifoundinwatchingsomerootsyourmothergaveme，thatIwantedthemtogrow，thatIverymuchhopedtheywoulddevelop，andbeautifyourplacewithflowers，asyoursis。
　　Ifindmyselfwatchingthem，watchingthemdaily，andoftener，andthereseemstobeasortofhomefeelingcreepingaroundmyheart。IwishPamelawouldlistentoreason！Iwishshewouldmarryyousoon！Iwishtherewouldbelittlechildren。Nothingelseonearthwouldcomesoclosetocomfortingmywife，andmealso。Nothing！Goahead，lad，plowaway！I’llputyourspecialpleadinguptothegirl。“
　　HeclaspedLaddie’shand，mountedandrodebacktothegatehehadenteredwhenhecame。Laddiesatontherail，soIclimbeddownbesidehim。Heputhisarmaroundme。
　　“DoIfeelanybetter？“heaskeddubiously。
　　“Ofcourseyoudo！“Isaidstoutly。“Youfeelwholeheaps，andstacks，andpilesbetter。Youhaven’tgothimtofightanymore，orMrs。Pryor。It’snowonlytoconvincethePrincessabouthowit’sallrighttoplow。“
　　“Smallmatter，that！“saidLaddie。“Andeasy！Justassimpleandeasy！“
　　“HaveyouaskedtheFairiestohelpyou？“
　　“Aye，aye，sir，“saidLaddie。“Alsothewinds，theflowers，thebirdsandthebees！Ihaveaskedeverythingonearthtohelpmeexceptyou，LittleSister。IwonderifIhavebeenmakingamistakethere？“
　　“Areyoumadatme，Laddie？“
　　“’Causeforwhy？“
　　“Abouttheoldcrestthing！“
　　“Forgetit！“laughedLaddie。“Ihave。Andanyway，inthelongrun，Imustbehonestenoughtoadmitthatitmayhavehelped。
　　ItseemstohavehaditsinfluencewithMr。Pryor，nodoubtitworkedthesameonMrs。Pryor，anditmaybethatitwasbecauseshehadsomuchmoretobankonthansheeverexpected，thatthePrincessfeltemboldenedtomakeherdemand。Itmaybe，youcan’ttell！Anyway，it’sveryevidentthatitdidnorealharm。
　　Andforgetmyjesting，Chicken。Amancan’talwayscrybecausetherearetearsinhisheart。Ithinkquiteasmuchofthatcrestasyoudo。Inthesumofhumanevents，itisabigthing。
　　NooneadmiresaCrusadermorethanI。Noonelikesagoodfightbetter。NoCrusadereverputupastifferbattlethanIhaveinthepastweekwhileworkinginthesefields。Everyinchofthemisbattlefield，everyfurrowaseparateconflict。GazeuponthesceneofmyWaterloo！WhenJunecoversitwithgreen，itwillwaveovertherestingplaceofmyslainheart！“
　　“OhLaddie！“Isobbed。“Thereyougoagain！Howcanyou？“
　　“Whoo-pee！“criedLaddie。“That’sthequestion！HowcanI？Gotto，LittleSister！There’snootherway。“
　　“No，“Iwasforcedtoadmit，“thereisn’t。Whatarewegoingtodonow？“
　　“Life-saver，we’llnowgotodinner，“saidLaddie。“Nothingexceptthepartnershipimpliedin`we’sustainsmenow。YOU’LL
　　FINDAWAYTOHELPMEOUT，WON’TYOU，LITTLESISTER？“
　　“OFCOURSEIWILL！“Ipromised，withouteverstoppingaminutetothinkwhatkindofajobthatwasgoingtobe。
　　Didyoueverwishwithallyourmightthatsomethingwouldhappen，andwaitforit，expectit，andlongforit，andnothingdid，untilitgrewsobad，itseemedasifyouhadtogoonanotherminuteyoucouldn’tbearit？NowIthoughtwhenMr。
　　Pryortalkedtoher，maybeshe’dsendforLaddiethatverysamenight；butsendnothing！Shedidn’tevenrideonourroadanymore。Ofcourseherfatherhadmadeabotchofit！BetIcouldhavetoldherLaddie’smessagestraighterthanhedid。Icouldthinkitover，andseeexactlyhowhe’ddo。He’dtalknicelyaboutoneminute，andthefirstwordshesaid，thathedidn’tlike，he’dberanting，andusingunsuitablewords。Justaslikeasnothetoldherthathe’dlayhiswhipacrosshershoulders，likehehadLaddie。Anyonecouldseethataslongasshewashisdaughter，shemightbeslightlyhandywithwhipsherself；atleastshewouldn’tbelikelytostandstillandtellhimtogoaheadandbeather。
　　SundayLaddiewenttoLucy’s。Hesaidhewashavingafamilyreunionontheinstallmentplan。Ofcoursewelaughed，butnoneofusmissedthelonglookhesenttowardPryors’ashemountedtostartintheoppositedirection。
　　Everythingwenton。Ididn’tseehowitcould，butitdid。Itevengotworse，foranotherlettercamefromShelleythatmademattersconcerninghernobrighter，andwhilenoneofustalkedaboutLaddie，allofusknewmightywellhowwefelt；andwhatwasmuchworse，howhefelt。FatherandmotherhadquitworryingaboutGod；especiallyfather。HeseemedtothinkthatGodandLaddiecouldbetrustedtotakecareofthePrincess，andIdon’tknowexactlywhatmotherthought。Nodoubtshesawshecouldn’thelpherself，andsoshedecideditwasuselesstostruggle。
　　Theplowingonthewestsidewasalmostfinished，andsomeoftheseedwasin。Laddiewentstraightaheadflower-trimmedandwhistlinguntilhisfacemusthaveachedasbadlyashisheart。
　　Inspiteofhowhardhetriedtolaugh，andkeepgoing，allofuscouldseethathefairlyhadtostickuphisheadandstretchhisnecklikethebluegoose，tomakethebitesgodown。Andyoucouldn’thelpseeingtheroundnessandthecolourgofromhisface，alittlemoreeveryday。My！butbeinginlove，whenyoucouldn’thavetheoneyouloved，wastheworstofall。IworemyselfalmostasthinasLaddie，huntingaFairytoaskifshe’dhelpmetomakethePrincessletLaddiegoonandplow，whenhewassocrazyaboutit。Iprayedbesidemybedeverynight，untiltheLordmusthavegrownsotiredHequitlisteningtome，forI
　　talkedrightupasimpressivelyasIknewhow，anditdidn’tdotheleastbitofgood。Ihadn’ttriedtheonebigprayertowardtheeastyet；butIwasjustabouttotheplacewhereIintendedtodoitsoon。