"We get from Mr. Bushy, at the post-office,
-- what he throw out. We got no potatoes,
Mrs. Burden," Tony admitted mournfully.

When Jake went out, Marek crawled along
the floor and stuffed up the door-crack again.
Then, quietly as a shadow, Mr. Shimerda
came out from behind the stove. He stood
brushing his hand over his smooth gray hair,
as if he were trying to clear away a fog about
his head. He was clean and neat as usual, with
his green neckcloth and his coral pin. He took
grandmother's arm and led her behind the
stove, to the back of the room. In the rear
wall was another little cave; a round hole, not
much bigger than an oil barrel, scooped out in
the black earth. When I got up on one of the
stools and peered into it, I saw some quilts and
a pile of straw. The old man held the lantern.
"Yulka," he said in a low, despairing voice,
"Yulka; my Antonia!"

Grandmother drew back. "You mean they
sleep in there, -- your girls?" He bowed his
head.

Tony slipped under his arm. "It is very
cold on the floor, and this is warm like the
badger hole. I like for sleep there," she in-
sisted eagerly. "My _mamenka_ have nice bed,

[[85]]

p084 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p085w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p086

v?