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What d’you say, Dick? Don’t you think them two’d pair up well?

—[Nodding his head approvingly.] A sweet, wholesome couple they’d make.

—It’d be a good thing for Andy in more ways than one. I ain’t what you’d call calculatin’ generally, and I b’lieve in lettin’ young folks run their affairs to suit themselves; but there’s advantages for both o’ them in this match you can’t overlook in reason. The Atkins farm is right next to ourn. Jined together they’d make a jim-dandy of a place, with plenty o’ room to work in. And bein’ a widder with only a daughter, and laid up all the time to boot, Mrs. Atkins can’t do nothin’ with the place as it ought to be done. Her hired help just goes along as they pleases, in spite o’ her everlastin’ complainin’ at ’em. She needs a man, a first-class farmer, to take hold o’ things; and Andy’s just the one.

—[Abruptly.] I don’t think Ruth loves Andy.

—You don’t? Well, maybe a woman’s eyes is sharper in such things, but—they’re always together. And if she don’t love him now, she’ll likely come around to it in time.

—[As shakes her head.] You seem mighty fixed in your opinion, Katey. How d’you know?

—It’s just—what I feel.

—[A light breaking over him.] You don’t mean to say—[ nods. chuckles