"Madam." Master Hedden had answered, rising to go, "ye have worked hard to acquire this fortune. As hard, I warrant, as your husband. Why, then, should ye not be permitted to retain it?" He held out his hand to her.
"Not all may think as ye!" Mistress Williams had answered sadly, rising and taking his hand to curtsey. But Sally could see that this talk had been a great help to her during the weeks which followed.
Everyone flew around this morning of the vendue. Sally, who had gone back to the Balls upon Mistress Ball's due return from Morris Town, had been loaned for the occasion, as it were, and had ridden over the day before to help Mistress Williams in any way she could.
"Now, Baby," implored Sally, kneeling beside the cradle where lay a screaming, kicking little tyrant, "do let Sally put on your clean gown! So many people do be coming this morn, and ye—oh, please, sweetheart!"
Mistress Williams, entering hurriedly, still trying to clasp with nervous shaking fingers the brooch at her kerchief crossing, approached the cradle.
"There, Sally," she said, "I will dress little Nat. Do ye finish wi' the kitchen. Where be Zenas?"
"Zenas be out wi' the horses. Master Alling did ride up from the Town by the River to obtain the horses he let us have, ye remember, and partly, I think, he wanted to attend the sale," responded
