She was moved by two happenings: a tragedy and a meanness, either of which would have been reason enough by itself. The meanness came first. She heard Gralf, the House-Pa, tell his cronies he’d taken an advance payment from Old Digger, who would be wanting Needly right soon, since she was the only female in the village who was “purdy near beddin’ age.” The following morning, when Pa crowed about it to Grandma, she lost her patience and told Pa what she thought of men who sold their children. Pa had no patience to lose, and one of those nice throwing stones was near at hand. It struck Grandma’s forehead. One stone was all that was needed. That was the tragedy, or so Needly saw it. Gralf, seeing what he’d done, ran off. He’d killed the healer. The only one in the valley. It was jitchus! Some might not take that too kindly. Needly, seeing what he’d done, ran for Grandma’s medicine bag. The little blue bottle was there: a drop of what was inside it was placed on Grandma’s tongue while Grandma still breathed.
