I was just opening the stove door.

In fact I had put some scraps of paper in; but there was no fire.
"Why, grandpa," she cried, "what's the matter?
What's this manuscript you're destroying?
Tell me about it!" "Give it to me!" I shouted; but she sat down with it and began reading.
I rushed out, and was gone an hour.

When I came back, she had pasted the pages together, and was still reading them.

She came to me and put her arms about my neck and kissed me; and finally coaxed me into telling her all about the disgraceful affair.
Well, the result of it all was that she has convinced me of the fact that I had better go on with the history.

She says that these county-history promoters are all slippery people, but that if I can finish the history as I have begun, it may be well worth while.
"There are publishers," she said, "who do actually print such things.
Maybe a real publisher will want this.