His voice arose to a shout and could be heard in the barnyard
where Jim Priest and a young farm hand were at work. They stopped work and
listened. "She's been up to something. Do you suppose some man has got her
in trouble?" the young farm hand asked.
In the house Tom expressed his old dissatisfaction with his daughter. "Why
haven't you married and settled down like a decent woman?" he shouted.
"Tell me that. Why haven't you married and settled down? Why are you always
getting in trouble? Why haven't you married and settled down?"
* * * * *
Clara walked in the road beside Hugh and thought that all her troubles
would come to an end if he would ask her to be his wife. Then she became
ashamed of her thoughts. As they passed the last street lamp and prepared
to set out by a roundabout way along a dark road, she turned to look at
Hugh's long, serious face. The tradition that had made him appear different
from other men in the eyes of the people of Bidwell began to affect her.
Ever since she had come home she had been hearing people speak of him with
something like awe in their voices. For her to marry the town's hero would,
she knew, set her on a high place in the eyes of her people. It would be a
triumph for her and would re-establish her, not only in her father's eyes
but in the eyes of every one. Every one seemed to think she should marry;
even Jim Priest had said so.
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