It was then that grandmother Ruth appeared.

She had been watching proceedings from the house and followed the cart down from the barn to the south field, resolutely bent on laying the last load.

Theodora and Ellen came with her to help tread down the hay on the cart.
"Here I am!" she cried cheerily.

She tossed her hayfork into the empty rack and climbed in after it.

Her sun hat was tied under her chin, and she had donned a white waist and a blue denim skirt.