She worked for a long time, until the sweattrickled down her shirt, and her boots got to rubbing her feet.
It was hard work, but she had to do this,somehow.
She felt a bit nauseous, but she forcedherself to work.
She had filled the wheel barrel three timesbefore noon and finally went inside to eat once more.
As she came back out, she glanced at Jim'sgrave, just past the barn a ways. A tear fell but she forced theothers away and swallowed hard. She wasn't crying for Jim sherealized, she was crying for herself, because her future was sobleak right now. Was she selfish, it would seem so?
"I don't have the time to mourn him Moby."She said as Moby stared at her. "All I can think about is notlosing this place. It's all I have."
Once more she went to collect the corn. Shefilled the wheel barrel up seven times that day and emptied eachload into the back of her wagon. By the end of the day she had thefloor of the wagon nearly full. She was proud of herself. She'dwork some tomorrow and then drive into town and see if she couldsell it.
She looked at Moby, "Old man Dickens, on theother side of Tooley might buy it. He's got lots of pigs."
Moby whined.
She pet him a while, just the touch of hissoft fur was a comfort to her, and his big, sad, eyes seemed toreflect her own feelings. Later, she fixed herself some supper andwent to bed. She was so tired she had no trouble going tosleep.
The next day after filling the wagon floorcompletely, she put Moby up on the seat with her, then she droveinto Tooley. She went to Mr. Avery's place at the edge of town andknocked on his door. Jim had done business with him last year,maybe she could too.
Mrs. Avery came to the door, "Oh, it's you,Kate, sorry to hear about your husband. Come on in."
"How did you hear?" Kate asked, surprisedthe news had gotten around so quickly.
"Mrs. Tate, I saw her in the General Store,and she was telling about it. I'm so sorry. It's not good news tohave a big cat out there. He's liable to be a real nuisance."
Mrs. Avery was friendly, and they had a cupof coffee together. Funny, Kate mused, when Jim was alive no onehad much to do with her. She told Moby to lay down on the porchwhile she went inside.
"I thought your husband might want some ofmy corn, I've got a wagon load of it."
Mrs. Avery shook her head, eyeing her withinterest. "That's too bad, he just bought some from the Pickensplace. He didn't think you'd be able to get yours picked."
Kate looked stunned. "Oh, oh yes, well, Ijust did. I've got a lot to pick."
"Might be Dickens pig farm could use it,he's always interested in corn." She told her.
"Thanks, well, I better be on my way, thecoffee was very good."
"Sorry hon, glad you got it picked though.You gonna be staying on?"
"As long as I can, yes ma'am."
"You know we all knew Jim wasn't much forhiring anyone, but you, you'll need to hire you somebody to helpyou. Your husband was too stubborn to hire someone. But it's theonly way to get things done in time."
"Yeah, know anyone looking for work?" Kateasked.
"Not off hand, but if I do, I'll send themout to you."
"Thanks. Thanks for the coffee too, it wasgreat."
Kate took Moby off the porch and they gotback in the wagon and drove out to Mr. Dicken's pig farm.
Funny, she rarely talked to anyone when Jimwas alive, but she had no problem talking without Jim by her side.She never realized how much he controlled her.
Mr. Dickens saw her coming and shaded hiseyes. As she got closer, he smiled a toothless grin. He was nearlybald headed with a few sprigs of gray on his head. "Well, it'syoung Kate. What you doin' out here, girl?"
"I'm hopin' to sell you some corn, Mr.Dickens."
"Sell me some corn, huh? Well, how much yougot?"
"A wagon full." She smiled at him. "Well,nearly anyway."
He offered her some water when he saw hersweating.
"I could use it, alright. But I figured Jimwould be out this way, not you."
"Jim died, Mr. Dickens."
"Died!" the old man seemed shocked. He'dbeen sitting on the back legs of his chair and suddenly let it downto lean forward. "What happened?"
"Yeah, a Cougar got hold of him, and he bledto death before I could get him back to the house."
"A Cougar did you say?"
"Yeah. He was out on the fence line, doingrepairs. When it got late and he didn't come in, I went to look forhim. Had a time getting him back to the house. But I managedit."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Then who picked allthat corn?"
"Me." She said simply.
He seemed to study on that. "I hate to hearabout Jim."
She nodded and bowed her head for a minute."He was too young to die. But God doesn’t take you before yourtime." Kate assured him.
"That's a fact, that's a fact girl." Old manDickens seemed to think on it. "Well, I'll take all the corn youcan bring me girl, if that will help you."
"Yes, it will, thanks." Kate smiled.
Old Man Dickens had a hired hand and hecalled him out of the barn to unload the wagon for her.
Bubba Jenkins had worked for him for yearsand although he was a bit slow, he was a good worker. He was a tallthin young man with nice thick brown hair and beady eyes.
"Wish I had a hand to help me." Katemurmured.
"Why don't you hire you one."
"Well, if you hear of anyone needing work,would you send him out to my place?" Kate asked him." I got a fieldof corn and some hay needs tending to."
"I sure will gal, I sure will." He smiled ather. "You gonna stay around a while?"
"As long as I can, yes."
"Glad to hear it."
They talked a bit, then she was on her wayonce more. Moby climbed back on the wagon and they headed back.
But the amount she made from Dickenswouldn't pay the mortgage on her farm. She
