reakneck speed. It was a changed world that spun past
her; fright, triumph, shame, delight, a gratified vanity swam over her
in turn.

A few minutes later she heard once more the rumble of wheels on the
road. It was Cephas Cole driving towards her over the brow of Saco Hill.
"He'll have seen Mark," she thought, "but he can't know I've talked and
driven with him. Ugh! how stupid and common he looks!" "I heard your
father blowin' the supper-horn jest as I come over the bridge," remarked
Cephas, drawing up in the road. "He stood in the door-yard blowin' like
Bedlam. I guess you 're late to supper."

"I'll be home in a few minutes," said Patty, "I got delayed and am a
little behindhand."

"I'll turn right round if you'll git in and lemme take you back-along a
piece; it'll save you a good five minutes," begged Cephas, abjectly.

"All right; much obliged; but it's against the rules and you must drop
me at the foot of our hill and let me walk up."

"Certain; I know the Deacon 'n' I ain't huntin' for trouble any more'n
you be; though I 'd take it quick enough if you jest give me leave! I
ain't no coward an' I could tackle the Deacon to-morrow if so be I had
anything to ask him."

This seemed to Patty a line of conversation distinctly to be discouraged
under all the circumstances, and she tried to keep Cephas on the subject
of his daily tasks and his mother's rheumatism until she could escape
from his over-appreciative society.

"How do you like my last job?" he inquired as they passed his father's
house. "Some think I've got the ell a little mite too yaller. Folks that
ain't never handled a brush allers think they can mix paint better 'n
them that knows their trade."

"If your object was to have everybody see the ell a mile away, you've
succeeded," said Patty cruelly. She never flung the poor boy a civil
word for fear of getting something warmer than civility in return.

"It'll tone down," Cephas responded, rather crestfallen. "I wanted a
good bright lastin' shade. 'T won't look so yaller when father lets me
paint the house to match, but that won't be till next year. He makes
fun of the yaller color same as you; says a home's something you want
to forget when you're away from it. Mother says the two rooms of the
ell are big enough for somebody to set up housekeepin' in. What do you
think?"

"I never think," returned Patty with a tantalizing laugh. "Good-night,
Cephas; thank you for giving me a lift!"

VII. "