he fortunate
ones who had arrived earliest. A few antique chairs and tables, a
mahogany highboy in excellent condition and an antique corner-cupboard
of wild-cherry wood occupied prominent places among the collection.
Truly, the sale warranted the attention it was receiving.

"I'd like to bid on something--I'm going to do it!" Phoebe said as they
looked about. "When I was a little girl and went to sales with Aunt
Maria I coaxed to bid, just for the excitement of bidding. But she
always made me tell what I wanted and then she bid on it."

"What do you want to buy?" asked the preacher.

"Oh, I don't know. I don't want any apple-butter in crocks, or any
chairs. Oh, I'll have some fun, Phares! I'll bid on the third article
they put up for sale! I heard a man say the dishes are going to be sold
first, so I'll probably get a cracked plate or a saucer without a cup,
but whatever it is, the third article is going to be mine."

"That is rather rash," warned Phares. "It may be a bed or a chest."

"You can't scare me. I'm going to have some real thrills at this sale."

The preacher entered into the spirit of the girl and smiled at her
promise to bid on the third thing put up for sale.

"Oh, look at the highboy," she exclaimed to him.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"Yes. See how it's inlaid with hollywood and cherry and how fine the
lines of it are! I wonder how much it will bring. But Aunt Maria'd scold
if I brought any furniture home, so I can't buy it."

"The price will depend upon the number of bidders and the size of their
pocketbooks. If any dealers in antiques are here it may run way up. We
used to buy homespun linen and fine old furniture very cheap at sales,
but the antique dealers changed that."

By that time the number of people was steadily increasing. They came
singly and in groups, in carriages, farm wagons, automobiles and afoot.
Some of the curious went about examining each article in the motley
collection in the yard.

Phoebe watched it all with an amused smile; finally she broke into merry
laughter.

Phares looked up inquiringly: "What is it?"

"This is great sport! I haven't been to a good sale for several years.
That old man has knocked his fist upon every chair and table, has tested
every piece of furniture, has opened all the bureau drawers, even the
case of the old clock, and just a moment ago he rocked the cradle
furiously to convince himself that it is in good working condition. Here
he come