But there was not always work enough to keep the three of them occupied and Hilma at times made herself useful in other ways.
As often as not she lent a hand in the kitchen, and two or three times a week she took her mother's place in looking after Annixter's house, making the beds, putting his room to rights, bringing his meals up from the kitchen.

For the last summer she had been away visiting with relatives in one of the towns on the coast.

But the week previous to this she had returned and Annixter had come upon her suddenly one day in the dairy, making cheese, the sleeves of her crisp blue shirt waist rolled back to her very shoulders.

Annixter had carried away with him a clear-cut recollection of these smooth white arms of hers, bare to the shoulder, very round and cool and fresh.

He would not have believed that a girl so young should have had arms so big and perfect.