"Oh, Jim!" the wife protested, flushing. "Cakes and coffee ain't worth 50 cents. I might run down to the big house and get some eggs and cream--" she added uncertainly, her distressed brown eyes flickering from Sally and David in the doorway to her scowling husband.
"We'll be delighted with the buckwheat cakes and bacon and coffee, and not think a dollar too much for our breakfast," David cut in, smiling placatingly upon the farmer. "We're farmers ourselves, and we're used to farm ways. How are crops around here, sir?"
"My name's Buckner," the dour farmer answered grudgingly. "I'll bring in a couple of chairs. Millie, you'd better fill up this here syrup pitcher and you might open a jar of them damson preserves."
"And I'll beat up some more hot cake batter," Millie Buckner fluttered happily. "It won't take me a minute."
Sally and David washed their hands and faces at the pump outside the kitchen door, drying them on a fresh roller towel that Jim Buckner brought them.
"Run away to get married, have you?" the farmer asked in an almost pleasant voice, as he led the way to the newly set table.
"Yes," David answered simply. "We walked all night and we're rather tired, but we thought there was no use in going in to Canfield until pretty near nine o'clock."
"I guess Millie can fix up a bed so the little lady can snatch a nap 'tween now and then," Buckner offered. "Pitch in, folks! it ain't much, but you're welcome. Farmer, eh?" and his narrow eyes measured David's splendid young body thoughtfully. "Aim to locate around here? Old man Webster, the man I rent this patch of ground from, is needing hands bad. He's got a shack over the hill that he'd likely fix up for you if you ain't got anything better in mind. Not quite as nice as this house--we got three rooms, counting this lean-to, and the shack I'm referrin' to is only one room and a lean-to, but the little lady could fix it up real pretty if she's got a knack that way, like Millie here has."
Sally almost choked on her mouthful of buckwheat cake. Were all her dreams of a home to come to this--or worse than this? One room and a lean-to! She felt suddenly ill and was swaying in her chair when David's firm, big hand closed over hers that lay laxly on the table.