"I am going to teach the village school in Walden," said Kate.
"It is a brick building, has a janitor, I can board reasonably,
near my work, and I get twenty dollars more a month than our
school pays, while the term is four months longer."
"Well, it is a pity about that; but it makes no difference," said
her mother. "Our home school has got to be taught as Pa
contracted, and Nancy Ellen has got to have her chance."
"What about my chance?" asked Kate evenly. "Not one of the girls,
even Exceptional Ability, ever had as good a school or as high
wages to start on. If I do well there this winter, I am sure I
can get in the Hartley graded schools next fall."
"Don't you dare nickname your sister," cried Mrs. Bates, shrilly.
"You stop your impudence and mind your father."
"Ma, you leave this to me," said Adam Bates, thickly. Then he
glared at Kate as he arose, stretching himself to full height.
"You've signed a contract for a school?" he demanded.
"I have," said Kate.
"Why didn't you wait until you got home and talked it over with
us?" he questioned.
"I went to you to talk over the subject to going," said Kate.
"You would not even allow me to speak. How was I to know that you
would have the slightest interest in what school I took, or
where."
"When did you sign this contract?" he continued.
"Yesterday afternoon, in Hartley," said Kate.
"Aha! Then I did miss a letter from my pocket. When did you get
to be a thief?" he demanded.
"Oh, Father!" cried Kate. "It was my letter. I could see my name
on the envelope. I ASKED you for it, before I took it."
"From behind my back, like the sneak-thief you are. You are not
fit to teach in a school where half the scholars are the children
of your brothers and sisters, and you are not fit to live with
honest people. Pack your things and be off!"
"Now? This afternoon?" asked Kate.
"This minute!" he cried.
"All right. You will be surprised at how quickly I can go," said
Kate.
She set down the telescope and gathered a straw sunshade and an
apron from the hooks at the end of the room, opened the dish
cupboard, and took out a mug decorated with the pinkest of wild
roses and the reddest and fattest of robins, bearing the
inscription in gold, "For a Good Girl" on a banner in its beak.
Kate smiled at it grimly as she took the telescope and ran
upstairs. It was the work of only a few minutes to gather her
books and clothing and pack the big telescope, then she went down
the front stairs and left the house by the front door carrying in
her hand everything she possessed on earth. As she went down the
walk Nancy Ellen sprang up and ran to her while Robert Gray
followed.