"
So Nancy had to sit in the dark, cool sitting-room and fan herself for
full twenty minutes before she was allowed to put on her old dress and
Shaker and start on her berrying excursion. Flora wanted to go, too, but
her aunt thought it was too hot; she was apt to have headaches. She sat
on the back door-step shelling pease when Nancy started.
Nancy, bustling off with her two-quart tin pail, glanced back at Flora's
little yellow shaven head bending patiently over the pan of pease in the
doorway. She felt guilty. Was she not going off with the secret
intention of earning money enough to buy that sweet-grass basket before
Flora could? Flora would not have her money until Saturday; this was
Monday. If she could only earn the forty-two cents in the mean time.
Nancy worked hard that week. Her hands and arms got scratched; she had
even a scratch across her nose. The blackberry vines seemed almost like
tangible foes; but she pushed and tussled with them until she had picked
the six quarts.
On Monday Aunt Lucretia had the minister and his wife to tea, and made
blackberry shortcake; on Friday she made blackberry jelly. All Nancy's
part of the contract was promptly fulfilled, but Aunt Lucretia's was
not. She had not a cent of change in her purse when Nancy brought in the
last instalment of berries.
"You'll have to wait two or three days until I can get this bill
changed," said she.
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