Fate had evidently destined her as Jed 's best helper . All summer she had been fairly goading Mattie into love with Jedediah and now she was moved to add the last spur . `` Jed Crane 's going away , I hear , '' she said maliciously . `` Seems to me you 're bound to be jilted again , Mattie . '' Mattie had no answer ready . Selena went on undauntedly . `` You 've made a nice fool of yourself all summer , I vow . Throwing yourself at Jed 's head -- and he does n't want you , even with all your property . '' `` He does want me , '' said Mattie calmly . Her lips were very firm and her cheeks scarlet . `` He is not going away . We are to be married about Christmas , and Jed will take charge of the farm for me . '' `` Matilda Adams ! '' said Selena . It was all she was capable of saying . The rest of the golden russets were picked in a dead silence , Mattie working with an unusually high colour in her cheeks , while Selena 's thin lips were pressed so closely together as to be little else than a hair line . After Selena had gone home , sulking , Mattie picked on with a very determined face . The die was cast ; she could not bear Selena 's slurs and she would not . And she had not told a lie either . Her words were true ; she would make them true .
All the Adams determination -- and that was not a little -- was roused XXXXX her .
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