llow curls
were against his cheek, and her breath was flower-sweet in his face.

"Why didn't you kiss Aunt Mary?" she demanded. "Daddy Dolan always
kisses mammy when he comes from all day gone. Aunt Mary's worked so
hard to please you. And Daddie worked, and mammy worked, and another
woman. You are pleased, ain't you, Uncle Dannie?"

"Who told ye to call me Uncle?" asked Dannie, with unsteady lips.

"She did!" announced the little woman, flourishing the whip in the
direction of the cabin. Dannie climbed down to unhitch. "You are goin'
to be my Uncle, ain't you, as soon as it's a little over a year, so
folks won't talk?"

"Who told ye that?" panted Dannie, hiding behind a horse.

"Nobody told me! Mammy just SAID it to Daddy, and I heard," answered
the little maid. "And I'm glad of it, and so are all of us glad. Mammy
said she'd just love to come here now, whin things would be like white
folks. Mammy said Aunt Mary had suffered a lot more'n her share. Say,
you won't make her suffer any more, will you?"

"No," moaned Dannie, and staggered into the barn with the horses. He
leaned against a stall, and shut his eyes. He could see the bright
room, plainer than ever, and that little singing bird sounded loud as
any thunder in his ears. And whether closed or open, he could see Mary,
never in all her life so beautiful, never so sweet; flesh and blood
Mary, in a dainty dress, with the shining, unafraid eyes of girlhood.
It was that thing which struck Dannie first, and hit him hardest. Mary
was a careless girl again. When before had he seen her with neither
trouble, anxiety or, worse yet, FEAR, in her beautiful eyes?

And she had come to stay. She would not have refurnished her cabin
otherwise. Dannie took hold of the manger with both hands, because his
sinking knees needed bracing.

"Dannie," called Mary's voice in the doorway, "has my spickled hin
showed any signs of setting yet?"

"She's been over twa weeks," answered Dannie. "She's in that barrel
there in the corner."

Mary entered the barn, removed the prop, lowered the board, and
kneeling, stroked the hen, and talked softly to her. She slipped a hand
under the hen, and lifted her to see the eggs. Dannie staring at Mary
noted closer the fresh, cleared skin, the glossy hair, the delicately
colored cheeks, and the plumpness of the bare arms. One little wisp of
curl lay against the curve of her neck, just where it showed rose-pink,
and looked honey sweet. And in one g