He came in slowly, furtively watching her.

She worked as usual, saying no unpleasant word.

At length he could endure it no longer.
"Kate," he said, "I broke a bolt in the plow yesterday, and I never thought of it until just as I was getting into bed, so to save time I rode in to Walden and got another last night.

Ain't I a great old economist, though ?" "You are a great something," she said.

"'Economist' would scarcely be my name for it.