Jimmy hadn't instructed Nat on what chores were needed that morning, but had let him look for Jenny to find out. He had shown his new fellow farmhand the school, but for some reason, some of the boys had picked on Nat, and someone had stolen his lunch. And then after school, Jimmy had disappeared, forcing Nat to find his own way back to the farm.

The courtyard between the house, stables and machinery shack was deserted safe for some chickens and a young lady who lay on a wicker chair with pillows to support her. She wore a simple crème gown, a blue woolen shawl over her shoulders, and a large straw hat. A red loose plait fell over her shoulder. She had been looking down at her empty hands, but when Nat approached, the rim of the hat moved up to reveal a pale and startled young face fringed with a few loose strands of hair. "Who are you? Yer trespassin'," she said sharply in a girlish voice.