〃Except　when　you　were　teaching　school；〃　pursued　her　mother。
  〃Except　when　I　taught　school　at　Medville；〃　Diantha　corrected。　　〃When　I
  taught　here　I　made　'em　just　the　same。〃
  〃So　you　did；〃　agreed　her　mother。　　〃So　you　did！　　No　matter　how　tired　you
  wereyou　wouldn't　admit　it。　　You　always　were　the　best　child！〃
  〃If　I　was　tired　it　was　not　of　making　biscuits　anyhow。　　I　was　tired
  enough　of　teaching　school　though。　　I've　got　something　to　tell　you；
  presently；　Mother。〃
  She　covered　the　biscuits　with　a　light　cloth　and　set　them　on　the　shelf
  over　the　stove；　then　poked　among　the　greasewood　roots　to　find　what　she
  wanted　and　started　a　fire。　　〃Why　_don't_　you　get　an　oil　stove？　　Or　a
  gasoline？　　It　would　be　a　lot　easier。〃
  〃Yes；〃　her　mother　agreed。　　〃I've　wanted　one　for　twenty　years；　but　you
  know　your　Father　won't　have　one　in　the　house。　　He　says　they're
  dangerous。　　What　are　you　going　to　tell　me；　dear？　　I　do　hope　you　and　Ross
  haven't　quarrelled。〃
  〃No　indeed　we　haven't；　Mother。　　Ross　is　splendid。　　Only〃
  〃Only　what；　Dinah？〃
  〃Only　he's　so　tied　up！〃　said　the　girl；　brushing　every　chip　from　the
  hearth。　　〃He's　perfectly　helpless　there；　with　that　mother　of　hisand
  those　four　sisters。〃
  〃Ross　is　a　good　son；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell；　〃and　a　good　brother。　　I　never　saw
  a　better。　　He's　certainly　doing　his　duty。　　Now　if　his　father'd　lived　you
  two　could　have　got　married　by　this　time　maybe；　though　you're　too　young
  yet。〃
  Diantha　washed　and　put　away　the　dishes　she　had　used；　saw　that　the　pantry
  was　in　its　usual　delicate　order；　and　proceeded　to　set　the　table；　with
  light　steps　and　no　clatter　of　dishes。
  〃I'm　twenty…one；〃　she　said。
  〃Yes；　you're　twenty…one；〃　her　mother　allowed。　　〃It　don't　seem　possible；
  but　you　are。　　My　first　baby！〃　she　looked　at　her　proudly
  〃If　Ross　has　to　wait　for　all　those　girls　to　marryand　to　pay　his
  father's　debtsI'll　be　old　enough；〃　said　Diantha　grimly。
  Her　mother　watched　her　quick　assured　movements　with　admiration；　and
  listened　with　keen　sympathy。　　〃I　know　it's　hard；　dear　child。　　You've
  only　been　engaged　six　monthsand　it　looks　as　if　it　might　be　some　years
  before　Ross'll　be　able　to　marry。　　He's　got　an　awful　load　for　a　boy　to
  carry　alone。〃
  〃I　should　say　he　had！〃　Diantha　burst　forth。　　〃Five　helpless　women！or
  three　women；　and　two　girls。　　Though　Cora's　as　old　as　I　was　when　I　began
  to　teach。　　And　not　one　of　'em　will　lift　a　finger　to　earn　her　own
  living。〃
  〃They　weren't　brought　up　that　way；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell。　　〃Their　mother　don't
  approve　of　it。　　She　thinks　the　home　is　the　place　for　a　womanand　so
  does　Rossand　so　do　I；〃　she　added　rather　faintly。
  Diantha　put　her　pan　of　white　puff…balls　into　the　oven；　sliced　a　quantity
  of　smoked　beef　in　thin　shavings；　and　made　white　sauce　for　it；　talking
  the　while　as　if　these　acts　were　automatic。　　〃I　don't　agree　with　Mrs。
  Warden　on　that　point；　nor　with　Ross；　nor　with　you；　Mother；〃　she　said；
  〃What　I've　got　to　tell　you　is　thisI'm　going　away　from　home。　　To　work。〃
  Mrs。　Bell　stopped　rocking；　stopped　fanning；　and　regarded　her　daughter
  with　wide　frightened　eyes。
  〃Why　Diantha！〃　she　said。　　〃Why　Diantha！　　You　wouldn't　go　and　leave　your
  Mother！〃
  Diantha　drew　a　deep　breath　and　stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　the　feeble
  little　woman　in　the　chair。　　Then　she　went　to　her；　knelt　down　and　hugged
  her　closeclose。
  〃It's　not　because　I　don't　love　you；　Mother。　　It's　because　I　do。　　And
  it's　not　because　I　don't　love　Ross　either：it's　because　I　_do。_　　I　want
  to　take　care　of　you；　Mother；　and　make　life　easier　for　you　as　long　as　you
  live。　　I　want　to　help　himto　help　carry　that　awful　loadand　I'm
  goingtodoit！〃
  She　stood　up　hastily；　for　a　step　sounded　on　the　back　porch。　　It　was　only
  her　sister；　who　hurried　in；　put　a　dish　on　the　table；　kissed　her　mother
  and　took　another　rocking…chair。
  〃I　just　ran　in；〃　said　she；　〃to　bring　those　berries。　　Aren't　they
  beauties？　　The　baby's　asleep。　　Gerald　hasn't　got　in　yet。　　Supper's　all
  ready；　and　I　can　see　him　coming　time　enough　to　run　back。　　Why；　Mother！
  What's　the　matter？　　You're　crying！〃
  〃Am　I？〃　asked　Mrs。　Bell　weakly；　wiping　her　eyes　in　a　dazed　way。
  〃What　are　you　doing　to　Mother；　Diantha？〃　demanded　young　Mrs。　Peters。
  〃Bless　me！　I　thought　you　and　she　never　had　any　differences！　I　was　always
  the　black　sheep；　when　I　was　at　home。　　Maybe　that's　why　I　left　so　early！〃
  She　looked　very　pretty　and　complacent；　this　young　matron　and　mother　of
  nineteen；　and　patted　the　older　woman's　hand　affectionately；　demanding；
  〃Comewhat's　the　trouble？〃
  〃You　might　as　well　know　now　as　later；〃　said　her　sister。　　〃I　have　decided
  to　leave　home；　that's　all。〃
  〃To　leave　home！〃　　Mrs。　Peters　sat　up　straight　and　stared　at　her。　　〃To
  leave　home！And　Mother！〃
  〃Well？〃　said　Diantha；　while　the　tears　rose　and　ran　over　from　her
  mother's　eyes。　　〃Well；　why　not？　　You　left　homeand　Motherbefore　you
  were　eighteen。〃
  〃That's　different！〃　said　her　sister　sharply。　　〃I　left　to　be　married；to
  have　a　home　of　my　own。　　And　besides　I　haven't　gone　far！　　I　can　see
  Mother　every　day。〃
  〃That's　one　reason　I　can　go　now　better　than　later　on；〃　Diantha　said。
  〃You　are　close　by　in　case　of　any　trouble。〃
  〃What　on　earth　are　you　going　for？　　Ross　isn't　ready　to　marry　yet；　is
  he？〃
  〃Nonor　likely　to　be　for　years。　　That's　another　reason　I'm　going。〃
  〃But　what　_for；_　for　goodness　sake。〃
  〃To　earn　moneyfor　one　thing。〃
  〃Can't　you　earn　money　enough　by　teaching？〃　the　Mother　broke　in　eagerly。
  〃I　know　you　haven't　got　the　same　place　this　fallbut　you　can　get
  another　easy　enough。〃
  Diantha　shook　her　head。　　〃No；　Mother；　I've　had　enough　of　that。　　I've
  taught　for　four　years。　　I　don't　like　it；　I　don't　do　well；　and　it
  exhausts　me　horribly。　　And　I　should　never　get　beyond　a　thousand　or
  fifteen　hundred　dollars　a　year　if　I　taught　for　a　lifetime。〃
  〃Well；　I　declare！〃　said　her　sister。　　〃What　do　you　_expect_　to　get？　　I
  should　think　fifteen　hundred　dollars　a　year　was　enough　for　any　woman！〃
  Diantha　peered　into　the　oven　and　turned　her　biscuit　pan　around。
  〃And　you're　meaning　to　leave　home　just　to　make　money；　are　you？〃
  〃Why　not？〃　said　Diantha　firmly。　　〃Henderson　didwhen　he　was　eighteen。
  None　of　you　blamed　him。〃
  〃I　don't　see　what　that's　got　to　do　with　it；〃　her　mother　ventured。
  〃Henderson's　a　boy；　and　boys　have　to　go；　of　course。　　A　mother　expects
  that。　　But　a　girlWhy；　Diantha！　How　can　I　get　along　without　you！　With
  my　health！〃
  〃I　should　think　you'd　be　ashamed　of　yourself　to　think　of　such　a　thing！〃
  said　young　Mrs。　Peters。
  A　slow　step　sounded　outside；　and　an　elderly　man；　tall；　slouching；
  carelessly　dressed；　entered；　stumbling　a　little　over　the　rag…mat　at　the
  door。
  〃Father　hasn't　got　used　to　that　rug　in　fourteen　years！〃　said　his
  youngest　daughter　laughingly。　　〃And　Mother　will　straighten　it　out　after
  him！　　I'm　bringing　Gerald　up　on　better　principles。　　You　should　just　see
  him　wait　on　me！〃
  〃A　man　should　be　master　in　his　own　household；〃　Mr。　Bell　proclaimed；
  raising　a　dripping　face　from　the　basin　and　looking　around　for　the
  towelwhich　his　wife　handed　him。
  〃You　won't　have　much　household　to　be　master　of　presently；〃　said　Mrs。
  Peters　provokingly。　　〃Half　of　it's　going　to　leave。〃
  Mr。　Bell　came　out　of　his　towel　and　looked　from　one　to　the　other　for　some
  explanation　of　this　attempted　joke；　〃What　nonsense　are　you　talking？〃　he
  demanded。
  〃I　think　it's　nonsense　myself；〃　said　the　pretty　young　womanher　hand　on
  the　doorknob。　　〃But　you'd　better　enjoy　those　biscuits　of　Di's　while　you
  canyou　won't　get　many　more！　　There's　Geraldgood　night！〃　　And　off　she
  ran。
  Diantha　set　the　plateful　on　the　table；　puffy；　brown；　and　crisply
  crusted。　　〃Supper's　ready；〃　she　said。　　〃Do　sit　down；　Mother；〃　and　she
  held　the　chair　for　her。　　〃Minnie's　quite　right；　Father；　though　I　meant
  not　to　tell　you　till　you'd　had　supper。　　I　am　going　away　to　work。〃
  Mr。　Bell　regarded　his　daughter　with　a　stern；　slow　stare；　not　so　much
  surprised　as　annoyed　by　an　untimely　jesting。　　He　ate　a　hot　biscuit　in
  two　un…Fletcherized　mouthfuls；　and　put　more　sugar　in　his　large　cup　of
  tea。　　〃You've　got　your　Mother　all　worked　up　with　your　nonsense；〃　said
  he。　　〃What　are　you　talking　about　anyway？〃
  Diantha　met　his　eyes　unflinchingly。　　He　was　a　tall　old　man；　still
  handsome　and　impressive　in　appearance；　had　been　the　head　of　his　own
  household　beyond　question；　ever　since　he　was　left　the　only　son　of　an
  idolizing　mother。　　But　he　had　never　succeeded　in　being　the　head　of
  anything　else。　　Repeated　failures　in　the　old　New　England　home　had
  resulted　in　his　ruthlessly　selling　all　the　property　there；　and　bringing
  his　delicate　wife　and　three　young　children　to　California。　　Vain　were　her
  protests　and　objections。　　It　would　do　her　goodbest　place　in　the　world
  for　childrengood　for　nervous　complaints　too。　　A　wife's　duty　was　to
  follow　her　husband；　of　course。　　She　had　followed；　willy　nilly；　and　it
  was　good　for　the　childrenthere　was　no　doubt　of　that。
  Mr。　Bell　had　profited　little　by　his　venture。　　They　had　the　ranch；　the
  flowers　and　fruit　and　ample　living　of　that　rich　soil；　but　he　had　failed
  in　oranges；　failed　in　raisins；　failed　in　prunes；　and　was　now　failing　in
  wealth…promising　hens。
  But　Mrs。　Bell；　though　an　ineffectual　housekeeper；　did　not　fail　in　the
  children。　　They　had　grown　up　big　and　vigorous；　sturdy；　handsome
  creatures