While she never guessed what was going on, she realized the antagonism in their attitude and stoutly resented it.
Adam was his father's favourite son, a stalwart, fine-appearing, big man, silent, honest, and forceful; the son most after the desires of the father's heart, yet Adam was the one son of the seven who had ignored his father's law that all of his boys were to marry strong, healthy young women, poor women, working women.

Each of the others at coming of age had contracted this prescribed marriage as speedily as possible, first asking father Bates, the girl afterward.

If father Bates disapproved, the girl was never asked at all.

And the reason for this docility on the part of these big, matured men, lay wholly in the methods of father Bates.

He gave those two hundred acres of land to each of them on coming of age, and the same sum to each for the building of a house and barn and the purchase of stock; gave it to them in words, and with the fullest assurance that it was theirs to improve, to live on, to add to.