Page:Mehalah 1920.djvu/128

118 men carried it forth. "There's some good plates there. Is there a complete set?" "There are only six." "That is better than none. Out with them. What have you got in the corner cupboard?" "Nothing but trifles." "We'll sell the cupboard and the dresser. You can't move the dresser, Elijah. We'll carry it in our heads. Look at it," she said to the clerk; "see you don't forget to put that up. Now shall we go into the bedrooms, or go next to the cowhouse?" "Leave the bedroom," said Mellonie, "you can't sell the bed from under the old woman."

"I can though, if I don't raise enough," said Mrs. De Witt. "I've slept on a plank many a time." "Oh dear! Oh dear!" moaned the widow Sharland; "I wish Mehalah had returned; perhaps she has the money." "No chance of that, mistress," said Rebow. "You are sold up and done for past escape now. What will you do next, you and that girl Glory, I'd like to know?"

"I think she will get the money," persisted the widow.

Elijah turned from her with a sneer.

"Outside with you," shouted Mrs. De Witt. "The sale is going to begin."

The men—there were no women present except Mrs. De Witt—quickly evacuated the house and pushed into the stable and cowhouse. There was no horse, and only one cow. The sheep were on the saltings. There was no cart, and very few tools of any sort. The little farm was solely a sheep farm, there was not an acre of tillage land attached to it. The clerk climbed up into the cart. "Stop, stop, for Heaven's sake!" gasped Mehalah dashing up. "What is this! Why have we not been warned?"

"Oh, yes! forewarned indeed, and get rid of the things," growled Mrs. De Witt. "But I did tell you what I should do, and precious good-natured I was to do it." Mehalah darted past her into the house. "Tell me, tell me!" cried the excited mother, "have you the money?"