Kate Takes the Bit in Her Teeth

Satisfied, the children obeyed and ran to the creek. Aunt Ollie,
worried and angered, told Adam to tell his father that Mother was
home and for him to come and take her and grandmother to Walden at
once. She had not been able to keep Mrs. Holt from one steady
round of mischief; but she argued that her sister could do less,
with her on guard, than alone, so she had stayed and done her
best; but she knew how Kate would be annoyed, so she believed the
best course was to leave as quickly as possible. Kate walked into
the house, spoke to both women, and went to her room to change her
clothing. Before she had finished, she heard George's voice in
the house demanding: "Where's our millionaire lady? I want a
look at her."

Kate was very tired, slowly relaxing from intense nerve strain,
she was holding herself in check about the children. She took a
tighter grip, and vowed she would not give Mrs. Holt the
satisfaction of seeing her disturbed and provoked, if she killed
herself in the effort at self-control. She stepped toward the
door.

"Here," she called in a clear voice, the tone of which brought
George swiftly.

"What was he worth, anyway?" he shouted.

"Oh, millions and millions," said Kate, sweetly, "at least I THINK
so. It was scarcely a time to discuss finances, in the face of
that horrible accident."

George laughed. "Oh, you're a good one!" he cried. "Think you
can keep a thing like that still? The cats, and the dogs, and the
chickens of the whole county know about the deeds the old Land
King had made for his sons; and how he got left on it. Served him
right, too! We could here Andrew swear, and see Adam beat his
horse, clear over here! That's right! Go ahead! Put on airs!
Tell us something we don't KNOW, will you? Maybe you think I
wasn't hanging pretty close around that neighbourhood, myself!"