“Give us leave? It’s not for her to give us leave. She canna hinder me.
The farm be mine. Didna you hear her say so when I took the sin upon
me?”
“But will you make Mother abide by that?”
“Will folk pawn their souls for nought? Is another’s sin sweet in the
mouth that I should eat it save at a price? The farm be mine for ever
and ever, until I choose to sell it. Now swear! Say—
“_I promise and vow to obey my brother Gideon Sarn and to hire
myself out to him as a sarvant, for no money, until all that he
wills be done. And I’ll be as biddable as a prentice, a wife,
and a dog. I swear it on the Holy Book. Amen._”