h to the shop had been filled with delightful impressions, ideas
that might some day be confided to her. For, after all, is there not so
much of life in the smallest place in this world when you are fully
alive in it, and so little in the biggest when you are not?

Then the bitterest part of Ambrose's fight was that he knew Emily to be
his real mate, knew that Sarah had been a boy's spring fancy, but that
the summer had now set the seal of her warmth and fruition upon his
second love. Moreover, he also knew that Emily might be made to care for
him, since love like his is rarely without its answer.

Nevertheless when dawn came he had written this letter and taken it out
to the post:

DEAR MISS DUNHAM: I've got to quit comin' to see
you and I can't say why, except it's best.

Then I haven't got the old reason, for to-night
it's come to me the way to make Pennyroyal not
treat you so bad. Can't you give out that you're
sick, for if only the Pennyroyal ladies can get
the chance to take care of you they'll be real
pleased. Seems like letting people do good things
for you is the surest way to make them quit doing
mean; it's kind of human nature.

And there is one other thing I'd like to say to
you: It's about Miner; he's a whole lot bigger
than he looks and there can't no man on earth beat
him at loving if you'll only help him a little at
the start.

Yours truly,
AMBROSE THOMPSON, ESQ.

It was an odd, stiff letter, and yet that afternoon when Emily had
received it she laughed and placed it inside the folds of her primrose
dress; although a moment afterward she sighed with the thought of the
lonely hour before sunset.

CHAPTER XI

FOLLOWING HIS ADVICE

NO FURTHER reference was made to the difference between the two friends,
but Ambrose had reason to believe a few days later that Miss Dunham was
following his advice; for coming out in his yard before breakfast, after
a restless night, he was just in time to spy Mrs. Barrows climbing into
the gig with Doctor Webb, carrying a basket on her arm and wearing so
glorified an expression that it could come of nothing but the
opportunity of ministering to the sick. For the care of the sick gave to
Susan the same glow of pleasure that the act o