But before the blow came Nina seized the infuriated woman from behind and threw her down, and held her till the old man came hobbling to the rescue. He seemed a little dazed by it all, and made no effort to assault Claude. The old woman, who was already black in the face with rage, suddenly fell limp, and Nina, kneeling beside her, grew white with fear. "Oh, vat is the matter! I haf kildt her!" Claude rushed for a bucket of water, and dashed it in the old woman's face. He flooded her with slashings of it, especially after he saw her open her eyes, ending by emptying the bucket in her face. He was a little malicious about that. The mother sat up soon, wet, scared, bewildered, gasping. "Mein Gott! Mein Gott! Ich bin ertrinken!" "What does she say--she's been drinkin'? Well, that looks reasonable." "No, no--she thinks she is trouned." "Oh, drowned!" Claude roared again. "Not much she ain't. She's only just getting cooled off." He helped the girl get her mother to the house and stretch her out on a bed. The old woman seemed to have completely exhausted herself with her effort, and submitted like a child to be waited upon. Her sudden fainting had subdued her. Claude had never penetrated so far into the house before, and was much pleased with the neatness and good order of the rooms, though they were bare of furniture and carpets. As the girl came out with him to the gate he uttered the most serious word he had ever had with her. "Now, I want you to notice," he said, "that I did nothing to call out the old lady's rush at me. I'd 'a' hit her, sure, if she'd 'a' clinched me again. I don't believe in striking a woman, but she was after my hide for the time bein', and I can't stand two such clutches in the same place. You don't blame me, I hope." "No. You done choost ride." "What do you suppose the old woman went for me for?" Nina looked down uneasily. "She know you an' me lige one anudder, an' she is afrait you marry me, an' den ven she tie you get the farm a-ready." Claude whistled. "Great Jehosaphat! She really thinks that, does she? Well, dog my cats! What put that idea into her head?" "I told her," said Nina calmly. "You told her?" Claude turned and stared at her. She looked down, and her face slowly grew to a deep red. She moved uneasily from one foot to the other, like an awkward, embarrassed child. As he looked at her standing like a culprit before him, his first impulse was to laugh. He was not specially refined, but he was a kindly man, and it suddenly occurred to him that the girl was suffering. "Well, you were mistaken," he said at last, gently enough. "I don't know why you should think so, but I never thought of marrying you--never thought of it." The flush faded from her face, and she stopped swaying. She lifted her eyes to his in a tearful, appealing stare. "I t'ought so--you made me t'ink so."