t; and Race sat still, and
looked at us.

'What are you smiling at, Race?' said his mother--they always joked
together considerable.

'I was thinking,' said he, 'how funny it seems to sit here and be waited
on; take care I don't grow lazy, mother!'

Mrs. Miller laughed, and said: 'Well, I _am_ a little uneasy about
that--' and just then Hiram came in from milking, and she went into the
milkroom to strain the milk.

I was folding up my apron, and I thought I mightn't have another chance
to speak, so I said:

'I haven't thanked you yet, Race, for saving my life; but you believe I
_am_ thankful, don't you?'

'Come here, Dimpey,' said he.

I walked toward him, for I felt as if he had a right to ask me; he got
up from the big chair, and put me gently in it, and then took a little
bench and sat down close to my feet.

'Are you glad to live, Dimpey?' said he.

I looked at him in astonishment at such a strange question; but I saw
his eyes were full, and his lips trembling.

He said it again, 'Are you glad your life was spared, Dimpey?'

'Yes, to be sure,' said I; 'it would have been dreadful to die so
suddenly; and oh, think how our folks would have felt, if I had been
killed! And you too, Race! what could your mother do without _you?_ I am
so sorry you were hurt saving _me_, and so thankful it was no worse,'
and here my eyes ran over, and I stopped.

'Dimpey,' said Race, and his voice shook as it did that night in the
Hollow, '_I_ ought to be very thankful for my mother's sake, that God
has spared my life, and I hope I am _now_; but when I sat in the elder
bushes on Spring Mountain, and saw you sitting by the side of Ned
Hassel, and looking so sweet and innocent, I thought that the day you
married him would finish all _my_ happiness on earth, and I should have
nothing to live for but to take care of my good mother. You will tell me
the truth now, Dimpey, I'm sure--will that day _ever_ come?'

'_Never_, Race!' said I; 'the lying coward! has he _dared_ to say so?'

I started up from the chair; and, I don't know how it was, I fell into
Race's arms, and he sat down in the chair, and drew me on his knee as he
did when I was a little child; and looking down on his broken arm, it
seemed to me like my own old dolly, and I put my hands carefully around
it, as I did around my doll in my childish trouble.

* * * * *

It is two years now, since Race and I were married; and I believe no on