“Whatsneersandinsults？“sheasked，comingovertohim。
“Why，nobody’llspeaktome。“
“Won’tMr。McPhailandMr。Mcllvalne？“
“Yes；butnotastheyusedto。“
“Youcan’tblame’em，Jim。Youmustgotoworkandwinbacktheirconfidence。“
“Ican’tdothat。Let’sgoaway，Nell，andtryagain。“Hermouthclosedfirmly。Ahardlookcameintohereyes。“Youcangoifyouwantto，Jim，I’mgoin’tostayrightheretillwecanleavehonorably。Wecan’trunawayfromthis。Itwouldfollowusanywherewewent；anditwouldgetworsethefartherwewent“
Heknewtheunyieldingqualityofhiswife’sresolution，andfromthatmomenthesubmittedtohisfate。Helovedhiswifeandchildrenwithapassionatelovethatmadelifewiththem，amongthecitizenshehadrobbed，betterthanlifeanywhereelseonearth；
hehadnopowertoleavethem。
Assoonaspossiblehewentoverhisbooksandfoundoutthatheowed，aboveallnotescomingin，abouteleventhousanddollars。
ThiswasalargesumtolookforwardtopayingbyanythinghecoulddointheSiding，nowthathiscreditwasgone。Nobodywouldtakehimasaclerk，andtherewasnothingelsetobedoneexceptmanuallabor，andhewasnotstrongenoughforthat。
Hiswife，however，hadaplan。ShesentEasttofriendsforalittlemoneyatonce，andwithafewhundreddollarsopenedalittlestoreintimefortheholidaytrade-wallpaper，notions，lightdrygoods，toys，andmillinery。Shedidherownhouseworkandattendedtohershopinagrim，uncomplainingfashionthatmadeSanfordfeellikeacriminalinherpresence。Hecouldn’tproposetohelpherinthestore，forheknewthepeoplewouldrefusetotradewithhim，soheattendedtothechildrenanddidlittlethingsaboutthehouseforthefirstfewmonthsofthewinter。
Hislifeforatimewasabjectlypitiful。Hedidn’tknowwhattodo。
Hehadlosthisfooting，and，worstofall，hefeltthathiswifenolongerrespectedhim。Shelovedandpitiedhim，butshenolongerlookeduptohim。Shewentaboutherworkanddowntoherstorewithasilent，resolute，uncommunicativeair，utterlyunlikeherformersunny，domesticself，sothatevensheseemedalienliketherest。Ifhehadbeenill，VanceandMcPhailwouldhaveattendedhim；asitwas，theycouldnothelphim。
Shealreadyhadthesympathyoftheentiretown，andMcIlvainehadsaid：“Ifyouneedmoremoney，youcanhaveit，Mrs。Sanford。
Callonusatanytime。“
“Thankyou。Idon’tthinkI’llneedit。AllIaskisyourtrade，“shereplied。“Idon’taskanybodytopaymore’nathing’sworth，either。
I’mgoin’tosellgoodsonbusinessprinciples，andIexpectfolkstobuyofmebecauseI’msellingreliablegoodsascheapasanybodyelse。“
Herbusinesswassuccessfulfromthestart，butshedidnotallowherselftogettooconfident。
“Thisisakindofcharitytrade。Itwon’tlastonthatbasis。Folksain’tgoin’tobuyofmebecauseI’mpoor-notverylong，“shesaidtoVance，whowentintocongratulateheronherboomingtradeduringChristmasandNewYear。
Vancecalledsooften，advisingorcongratulatingher，thattheboysjokedhim。“Say，lookyhere!You’regom’togetintoapecko’
troublewithyourwifeyet。Youspendabouthally’rtimeinthenewstore。“
Vancelookedsereneashereplied，“I’dstaylongerandgooftenerIfIcould。“
“Well，ifyouain’tcheekier’nol’cheek!Ishouldthinkyou’dbeashamedtosayit。“
“’Shamedofit？I’mproudofit!AsItellmywife，ifI’d’a’metMis’
Sanfordwhenwewasbothyoung，theywouldn’t’a’be’nnosuchpresentarrangement。“
ThenewlifemadeitschangesinMrs。Sanford。Shegrewthinnerandgraver，butasshewenton，andtradesteadilyincreased，afeelingofpride，asortofexultation，cameintohersoulandshonefromhersteadyeyes。Itwasglorioustofeelthatshewasholdingherownwithmenintheworld，winningtheirrespect，whichisbetterthantheirflattery。Shearoseeachdayatfiveo’clockwithadistinctpleasure，forherphysicalhealthwasexcellent，neverbetter。
Shebegantodream。Shecouldpayofffivehundreddollarsayearoftheinterest-perhapsshecouldpaysomeoftheprincipal，ifallwentwell。Perhapsinayearbrtwoshecouldtakealargerstore，and，ifJimgotsomethingtodo，intenyearstheycouldpayitalloff-everycent!Shetalkedwithbusinessmen，andreadandstudied，andfelteachdayafirmerholdonaffairs。
Sanfordgottheagencyofaninsurancecompanyortwoandearnedafewdollarsduringthespring。InJunethingsbrightenedupalittle。Themoneyforanoteofathousanddollarsfelldue-anotehehadconsideredvirtuallyworthless，butthedebtor，havinghada“streako’luck，“sentsevenhundredandfiftydollars。Sanfordatoncecalledameetingofhiscreditors，andpaidthem，prorata，athousanddollars。Themeetingtookplaceinhiswife’sstore，andinmakingthespeechSanfordsaid：
“Itellyou，gentlemen，ifyou’llonlygiveusachance，we’llclearthisthingallup-thatis，theprincipal。Wecan’t-“
“Yes，wecan，James。Wecanpayitall，principalandinterest。Weowetheinterestjustasmuchastherest。“Itwasevidentthattherewastobenolettingdownwhileshelived。
Theeffectofthispaymentwasmarked。Thegeneralfeelingwasmuchmorekindlythanbefore。MostofthefellowsdroppedbackintothehabitofcallinghimJim；but，afterall，itwasnotlikethegreetingofold，whenhewas“banker。“Stillthegaininconfidencefoundareflexinhim。Hisshoulders，whichhadbeguntodroopalittle，lifted，andhiseyesbrightened。
“We’llwinyet，“hebegantosay。
“She’sa-holdin’of’imrighttotime，“Mrs。Binghamsaid。
Itwasshortlyafterthisthathegottheagencyforanewcash-deliverysystem，andwentontheroadwithit，travelinginnorthernWisconsinandMinnesota。Hecamebackafterathreeweeks’trip，quitejubilant。“I’vemadeahundreddollars，Nell。I’mallrightifthisholdsout，andIguessitwill。“
InthefollowingNovember，justayearafterthefailure，theycelebratedtheday，athersuggestion，bypayinginterestontheunpaidsumstheyowed。
“Icouldpayalittlemoreontheprincipal，“sheexplained，“butI
guessit’llbebettertouseitformystock。Icanpaybetterdividendsnextyear。
“Takey’rtime，Mrs。Sanford，“Vancesaid。
Ofcourseshecouldnotescapecriticism。Thereweretheusualnumberofwomenwhonoticedthatshekepther’younguns“inthelateststyle，whenasamatteroffactshesatupnightstomaketheirlittlethings。Theyalsonoticedthatsheretainedherhouseandherfurniture。
“IfIwasinherplace，seemstome，I’dturninsomeo’myfinefurnituretowardmydebts，“Mrs。SamGilbertsaidspitefully。
Shedidnotevenescapecalumny。Mrs。SamGilbertdarklyhintedatcertain“goin’sondurin’hisbein’away。Lituptillaftermidnightsomenights。Ic’nseeherwinderfrommine。“
RoseMcPhail，oneofMrs。Sanford’smostdevotedfriends，askedquietly，“Doyousitupallnightt’see？“
“S’posin’Ido!“shesnapped。“Ican’tsleepwithsuchthingsgoin’
on。“
“Ifit’lldoyouanygood，Jane，I’llsaythatshe’ssettin’uptheresewin’forthechildren。Ifyou’dkeepyournoseouto’otherfolks’
affairs，andattendbettertoyourown，yourhousewouldn’tlook’
likeapigpen，all’yourchildrenlikeA-rabs。“
ButinspiteofafewannoyancesofthischaracterMrs。Sanfordfoundhernewlifewholesomerandbroaderthanheroldlife，andthepainofherlossgrewlesspoignant。
VI
Onedayinspring，inthelazy，odoroushushoftheafternoon，theusualnumberofloaferswerestandingontheplatform，waitingforthetrain。Thesunwasgoingdowntheslopetowardthehills，throughawarmAprilhaze。
“Hello!“exclaimedthemanwhoalwaysseesthingsfirst。“HerecomesMrs。Sanfordandtheducklings。“
Everybodylooked。
“Ain’tgoin’off，isshe？“
“Nope；guessnot。Meetsomebody，prob’lySanford。“
“Well，sornethin’sup。Shedon’toftengetouto’thatstore。“
“Le’ssee；he’sbeengonemosto’thewinter，hain’the？“
“Yes；wentawayaboutNewYear’s。“
Mrs。Sanfordcamepast，leadingachildbyeachhand，noddingandsmilingtofriends-forallseemedfriends。Shelookedveryresoluteandbusinesslikeinherplain，darkdress，withadullflameofcoloratthethroat，whilethebroadhatsheworegaveherfaceatouchofpiquancyverycharming。Evidentlyshewasinexcellentspirits，andlaughedandchattedinquiteacarefreeway。
ShewasnowaninstitutionattheSiding。Herstorehadgrowninproportionsyearly，untilitwasaslargeandcommodiousasanyinthetown。Thedrummersfordrygoodsallcalledthere，andthefactthatshedidnotsellanygroceriesatalldidnotdeterthedrummersforgroceryhousesfromcallingtoseeeachtimeifshehadn’tdecidedtoputinastockofgroceries。
Thesekeen-eyedyoungfellowshadspreadherfameallupanddowntheroad。Shehadcapturedthem，notbybeauty，butbyherpluck，candor，honesty，andbyacertainfearlessbutreservedcamaraderie。Shewasnotafraidofthem，orofanybodyelse，now。
Thetrainwhistled，andeverybodyturnedtowatchitasitcamepushingaroundtheblufflikeahugehoundonatrail，itsnoseclosetotheground。AmongthefirsttoalightwasSanford，inashiningnewsilkhatandanewsuitofclothes。Hewassmilinggailyashefoughthiswaythroughthecrowdtohiswife’sside。“Hello!“heshouted。“IthoughtI’dseeyouallhere。“
“W’y，Jim，ain’tyoucuttin’aswell？“
“Aswell!Well，who’sgotabetterright？Amanwantstolookaswellashecanwhenhecomeshometosuchafamily。“
“Hello，Jim!。Thatplug’llneverdo。“
“Hello，Vance!Yes；butit’sgottodo。Say，youtellallthefellersthat’sgotanythingag’instmetocomearoundtomorrownighttothestore。Iwanttomakesomekindofasettlement。“
“Allright，Jim。Goin’topayanewdividend？“
“That’swhatIam，“hebeamedashewalkedoffwithhiswife，whowasstudyinghimsharply。
“Jim，whatailsyou？“
“Nothin’；I’mallright。“
“Butthisnewsuit？Andthehat？Andthenecktie？“Helaughedmerrily-somerrily，infact，thathiswifelookedathimthemoreanxiously。Heappearedtobeinaqueerstateofintoxication-astatethatmadehimhappywithoutimpairinghisfaculties，however。Heturnedsuddenlyandputhislipsdowntowardherear。“Well，Nell，Ican’tholdinanylonger。We’vestruckit!“
“Struckwhat？“
“Well，youseethatdernedfoolpartnero’minegotmetogointoaloto’landinthecoppercountry。That’swhereallthetroublecame。
Hegotawfullyletdown。Well，he’shadsomesurveyorstogouptherelatelyandlookitover，andthenextthingweknewtheSuperiorMiningCompanycamealongan’wantedtobuyit。Ofcoursewedidn’twanttoselljustthen。“
Theyhadreachedthestoredoor，andhepaused。
“We’llgorighthometosupper，“shesaid。“ThegirlswilllookoutforthingstillIgetback。“
Theywalkedontogether，thechildrenlaughingandplayingahead。
“Well，upshotofitis，IsoldoutmysharetoOsgoodfortwentythousanddollars。“