That
outraged old creature displayed her surprised countenance at the
opening above her manger and blew sonorously through her nostrils.
Perhaps the gray mare remembered how she had been aroused at a
similar hour once before, and by Cap'n Ira himself. That experience
must have been keen in the Queen of Sheba's memory if she had any
memory at all.
But the troubled girl gave the mare less attention than usual,
throwing down some fodder and pouring a measure of corn into the
manger. The mare turned to that with appetite. Corn came not amiss
to Queenie, no matter at what hour it was vouchsafed her. Her sound
old teeth did not stop crunching the kernels as Sheila went out of
the barn.
From the shed she secured an ax and a spade, as well as a basket.
In spite of her condition of mind she knew exactly what she wanted
to do--and she did it. Had she thought out her intention for
months she could have gone about the matter no more directly and
practically. Yet, had one stopped Sheila and asked her what she
was about--exactly what her intentions were--the query would have
found her unprepared with an answer.
Both her physical and mental condition precluded Sheila from going
far from the Ball homestead.
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