CHAPTER XI

adhaditbroughthometohersofreezingly,soblightingly,thatshehaddonetoodreadfulathingtobeallowedapparentlyeveragaintoassociatewiththedecent.AndRobert—shequicklybegancallinghimthattoherselfundertheinfluenceofherfamily'smethodsofreclaimingher—hadnotwrittenasingleletter. "Buthecame,"saidHerrDremmel,forwhoseenlightenmentshewaspicturingtheweekshehadhad. Andherfatherwouldnotspeaktoheratall,wouldnotlookather. "Oldsheep,"saidHerrDremmelgood-naturedly. AndJudithhadseemedentirelyhorrified,andusedtoblushifshetriedtospeaktoher. "Foolishturkey,"saidHerrDremmelplacidly. Butnowsomehowitdidseemasifsheneedn'thavebeenquitesomiserable,andmighthavehadmorefaith. "WhatoughttheLittleOnetohavehadmoreof?"askedHerrDremmelforhisthoughtshadnotmuchtimetospare,andheprofitablyemployedthemwhileshetalkedinworkingouttheprobableresultsof,say,thetreatmentofthreeacresofsugar-beetwithsulphateofpotash,sulphateofammonia,andnitrateofsodarespectively,allofthemreceiving400lbs.ofbasicslagaswell—wouldnotsulphateofammoniabemoreeffectiveasanitrogenousmanurethannitrateofsodainthecaseofsugar-beets,whoserootsgrewsmallerandnearerthesurfacethanmangels?"Thatiswhatlittlewomenshouldconstantlyhavemoreof,"hesaid,breakingawayfromsugar-beetstoazestfulembracingforonthisoccasiontheywereunderthepear-tree,aplacesheseldomwenttobecauseshehadnotyetacquired,inspiteofhisassurancesthatsheundoubtedlywould,anyrealenthusiasmforembracings,keepingbypreferencetotheonlyimmuneplaceinthegarden,whichwasthemiddleofthelawn. "Iwonder,"shethoughtwhileitwasbeingdone,"ifthiswillreallygrowonme...." And,whileitwasstillbeingdone,"Mothermusthavebeenkissed,too,andshe'sstillalive...." Andpresently,whileitwasstillbeingdone,"Butmotherisn'tmuchalive—there'sthesofa—perhapsthat'swhy...." Well,helovedher,somehowshedidnotnowcarehow.Whetheritwasaspiritualaffectio