Money was scarce in the Landis household, there were so many mouths to
feed and it seemed to Martin that he would never have the opportunity
to do anything but work in the fields from early spring to late autumn,
snatch a few months for study in a business college in Lancaster, then
go back again to the ploughing and arduous duties of his father's farm.
He thought enviously of Lyman Mertzheimer, whose father had sent him to
a well-known preparatory school and then started him in a full course
in one of the leading universities of the country. If he had a chance
like that! If he could only get away from the farm long enough to earn
some money he knew he could work his way through school and fit himself
for some position he would like better than farming. Some such thoughts
ran through his brain as he went to congratulate Amanda on her
graduation day.
"Oh, Martin!" she greeted him cordially. "So you got here, after all.
I'm so glad!"
"So am I. I wouldn't have missed that oration for a great deal. I could
smell the arbutus--say, it was great, Amanda!"
At that moment Lyman Mertzheimer joined them.
"Congratulations, Amanda," he said in his affected manner. As the good-
looking son of a wealthy man he credited himself with the possession of
permissible pride. "Congratulations," he repeated, ignoring the smaller
man who stood by the side of the girl. "Your oration was beautifully
rendered. You were very eloquent, but if you will pardon me, I'd like
to remind you of one flower you forgot to mention--a very important
flower of the Garden Spot."
"I did?" she said as though it were a negligible matter. "What was the
flower I forgot?"
"Amanda Reist," he said, and laughed at his supposed cleverness.
"Oh," she replied, vexed at his words and his bold attitude, "I left
that out purposely along with some of the weeds of the Garden Spot I
might have mentioned."
"Meaning me?" He lifted his eyebrows in question. "You don't really
mean that, Amanda." He spoke in winning voice. "I know you don't mean
that so I won't quarrel with you."
"Well, I guess you better not!" spoke up Millie who had listened to all
that was said. "You don't have to get our Amanda cross on this here
day. She done fine in that speech and we're proud of her and don't want
you nor no one else to go spoil it by any fuss."
"I see you have more than one champion, Amanda. I'll have to be very
careful how I speak to you." He laughed but a glare of anger shone in
his eyes.
A few moments later the little party broke up and Lyman went off alone.
A storm raged within him--"A hired girl to speak to me like that--a
common hired girl! I'll teach her her place when I marry Amanda. And
Amanda was high and mighty to-day. Thought she owned the world because
she graduated from Millersville! As though that's anything! She's the
kind needs a strong hand, a master hand. And I'll be the master! I like
her kind, the women who have spirit and fire. But she needs to be held
under, subjected by a stronger spirit. That little runt of a Martin
Landis was hanging round her, too. He has no show when I'm in the
running. He's poor and has no education. He's just a clodhopper."