on her own account. The woman had a quick
ear, and caught up phrases whenever she
heard English spoken. As we rose to go, she
opened her wooden chest and brought out a
bag made of bed-ticking, about as long as a
flour sack and half as wide, stuffed full of
something. At sight of it, the crazy boy be-
gan to smack his lips. When Mrs. Shimerda
opened the bag and stirred the contents with
her hand, it gave out a salty, earthy smell,
very pungent, even among the other odors of
that cave. She measured a teacup full, tied
it up in a bit of sacking, and presented it cere-
moniously to grandmother.

"For cook," she announced. "Little now;
be very much when cook," spreading out her
hands as if to indicate that the pint would
swell to a gallon. "Very good. You no have
in this country. All things for eat better in
my country."

"Maybe so, Mrs. Shimerda," grandmother
said drily. "I can't say but I prefer our bread
to yours, myself."

Antonia undertook to explain. "This very
good, Mrs. Burden," -- she clasped her hands
as if she could not express how good, -- "it
make very much when you cook, like what

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p087 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p088w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p088x3a

v?