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And if I've been slow and stupid in taking it in； it is because
it's so wonderful； so like a fairy tale of virtue rewardedas if
you were a kind of male Cinderella； old man！〃 He had no intention
of lyinghe had no belief that he was： he had only forgotten that
his previous impressions and hesitations had arisen from the very
fact that he DID doubt the consistency of the story with his belief
in Uncle Ben's weakness。 But he thought himself now so sincere
that the generous reader； who no doubt is ready to hail the perfect
equity of his neighbor's good luck； will readily forgive him。
In the plenitude of this sincerity； Ford threw himself at full
length on one of the long benches； and with a gesture invited Uncle
Ben to make himself equally at his ease。 〃Come；〃 he said with
boyish gayety； 〃let's hear your plans； old man。 To begin with；
who's to share them with you？ Of course there are 'the old folks
at home' first； then you have brothersand perhaps sisters？〃 He
stopped and glanced with a smile at Uncle Ben； the idea of there
being a possible female of his species struck his fancy。
Uncle Ben； who had hitherto always exercised a severe restraint
partly from respect and partly from cautionover his long limbs in
the school…house； here slowly lifted one leg over another bench；
and sat himself astride of it； leaning forward on his elbow； his
chin resting between his hands。
〃As far as the old folks goes； Mr。 Ford； I'm a kind of an orphan。〃
〃A KIND of orphan？〃 echoed Ford。
〃Yes；〃 said Uncle Ben； leaning heavily on his chin； so that the
action of his jaws with the enunciation of each word slightly
jerked his head forward as if he were imparting confidential
information to the bench before him。 〃Yes； that is； you see； I'm
all right ez far as the old man goesHE'S dead； died way back in
Mizzouri。 But ez to my mother； it's sorter betwixt and between
kinder unsartain。 You see； Mr。 Ford； she went off with a city
felleran entire stranger to meafore the old man died； and
that's wot broke up my schoolin'。 Now whether she's here； there；
or yon； can't be found out； though Squire Tompkins allowedand he
were a lawyerthat the old man could get a divorce if he wanted；
and that you see would make me a whole orphan； ef I keerd to prove
title； ez the lawyers say。 Wellthut sorter lets the old folks
out。 Then my brother was onc't drowned in the North Platt； and I
never had any sisters。 That don't leave much family for plannin'
aboutdoes it？〃
〃No；〃 said the master reflectively； gazing at Uncle Ben； 〃unless
you avail yourself of your advantages now and have one of your own。
I suppose now that you are rich； you'll marry。〃
Uncle Ben slightly changed his position； and then with his finger
and thumb began to apparently feed himself with certain crumbs
which had escaped from the children's luncheon…baskets and were
still lying on the bench。 Intent on this occupation and without
raising his eyes to the master； he returned slowly； 〃Well； you see；
I'm sorter married already。〃
The master sat up quickly。
〃What； YOU marriednow？〃
〃Well； perhaps that's a question。 It's a good deal like my beein'
an orphanoncertain and onsettled。〃 He paused to pursue an
evasive crumb to the end of the bench and having captured it； went
on： 〃It was when I was younger than you be； and she warn't very old
neither。 But she knew a heap more than I did； and ez to readin'
and writin'； she was thar； I tell you； every time。 You'd hev
admired to see her； Mr。 Ford。〃 As he paused here as if he had
exhausted the subject； the master said impatiently； 〃Well； where is
she now？〃
Uncle Ben shook his head slowly。 〃I ain't seen her sens I left
Mizzouri； goin' on five years ago。〃
〃But why haven't you？ What was the matter？〃 persisted the master。
〃Wellyou seeI runned away。 Not SHE； you know； but II
scooted； skedaddled out here。〃
〃But what for？〃 asked the master； regarding Uncle Ben with hopeless
wonder。 〃Something must have happened。 What was it？ Was she〃
〃She WAS a good schollard；〃 said Uncle Ben gravely； 〃and allowed to
be sech； by all。 She stood about so high；〃 he continued； indicating
with his hand a medium height。 〃War little and dark complected。〃
〃But you must have had some reason for leaving her？〃
〃I've sometimes had an idea；〃 said Uncle Ben cautiously； 〃that
mebbee runnin' away ran in some fam'lies。 Now； there war my mother
run off with an entire stranger； and yer's me ez run off by myself。
And what makes it the more one…like is that jest as dad allus
allowed he could get a devorce agin mother； so my wife could hev
got one agin me for leavin' her。 And it's almost an evenhanded
game that she hez。 It's there where the oncertainty comes in。〃
〃But are you satisfied to remain in this doubt？ or do you propose；
now that you are able； to institute a thorough search for her？〃
〃I was kalkilatin' to look around a little；〃 said Uncle Ben simply。
〃And return to her if you find her？〃 continued the master。
〃I didn't say that； Mr。 Ford。〃
〃But if she hasn't got a divorce from you that's what you'll have
to do； and what you ought to doif I understand your story。 For
by your own showing； a more causeless； heartless； and utterly
inexcusable desertion than yours； I never heard of。〃
〃Do you think so？〃 said Uncle Ben with exasperating simplicity。
〃Do I think so？〃 repeated Mr。 Ford； indignantly。 〃Everybody'll
think so。 They can't think otherwise。 You say you deserted her；
and you admit she did nothing to provoke it。〃
〃No；〃 returned Uncle Ben quickly； 〃nothin'。 Did I tell you； Mr。
Ford； that she could play the pianner and sing？〃
〃No；〃 said Mr。 Ford； curtly； rising impatiently and crossing the
room。 He was more than half convinced that Uncle Ben was deceiving
him。 Either under the veil of his hide…bound simplicity he was an
utterly selfish； heartless； secretive man； or else he was telling
an idiotic falsehood。
〃I'm sorry I can neither congratulate you nor condole with you on
what you have just told me。 I cannot see that you have the least
excuse for delaying a single moment to search for your wife and
make amends for your conduct。 And if you want my opinion it
strikes me as being a much more honorable way of employing your new
riches than mediating in your neighbors' squabbles。 But it's
getting late and I'm afraid we must bring our talk to an end。 I
hope you'll think this over before we meet againand think
differently。〃
Nevertheless； as they both left the schoolhouse； Mr。 Ford lingered
over the locking of the door to give Uncle Ben a final chance for
further explanation。 But none came。 The new capitalist of Indian
Spring regarded him with an intensification of his usual half sad；
half embarrassed smile； and only said： 〃You understand this yer's a
secret； Mr。 Ford？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Ford with ill…concealed irritation。
〃'Bout my bein' sorter married？〃
〃Don't be alarmed；〃 he responded dryly； 〃it's not a taking story。〃
They separated； Uncle Ben； more than ever involved in his usual
unsatisfactory purposes； wending his way towards his riches； the
master lingering to observe his departure before he plunged； in
virtuous superiority； into the woods that fringed the Harrison and
McKinstry boundaries。
CHAPTER VIII。
The religious attitude which Mrs。 McKinstry had assumed towards her
husband's weak civilized tendencies was not entirely free from
human rancor。 That strong loyal nature which had unsexed itself
in the one idea of duty； now that duty seemed to be no longer
appreciated took refuge in her forgotten womanhood and in the
infinitesimally small arguments； resources； and manoeuvres at its
command。 She had conceived a singular jealousy of this daughter
who had changed her husband's nature； and who had supplanted the
traditions of the household life； she had acquired an exaggerated
depreciation of those feminine charms which had never been a factor
in her own domestic happiness。 She saw in her husband's desire to
mitigate the savage austerities of their habits only a weak
concession to the powers of beauty and adornmentdegrading
vanities she had never known in their life…long struggle for
frontier supremacythat had never brought them victorious out of
that struggle。 〃Frizzles；〃 〃furblows；〃 and 〃fancy fixin's〃 had
never helped them in their exodus across the plains； had never
taken the place of swift eyes； quick ears； strong hands； and
endurance； had never nursed the sick or bandaged the wounded。 When
envy or jealousy invades the female heart after forty it is apt to
bring a bitterness which knows no attenuating compensation in that
coquetry； emulation； passionate appeal； or innocent tenderness；
which makes tolerable the jealous caprices of the younger woman。
The struggle for rivalry is felt to be hopeless； the power of
imitation is