'Dear me! Mr. Hardesty; then I'll open the door.' And Miss Peggy started
to her feet.

'No, my dear Madam, don't, if you please. It ain't this here fire in the
hearth, but,' striking his breast passionately, 'it's _here_, Madam.'

'That's just where Mrs. Jenkins is affected sometimes, and she says
Madeira's the best thing for it; and she has drank nearly all that last
quart I got of you, Mr. Hardesty, and I don't see as she gets any better.'

'Madeira, indeed!' said old Tom, scornfully. 'Madeira, madam, instead of
squenching, would only add fuel to the flame that is consuming me. There
_are_ men as takes to the bottle for it when they despair; but bless your
soul!' he continued, dropping his voice to a whisper, 'I haven't
despaired.'

At this eloquent appeal, Mrs. Sidebottom looked at the fire and said
nothing, until an audible snore from Belinda, who had fallen asleep in her
chair, aroused her.

'Bless me!' exclaimed Miss Peggy, bouncing to her feet; 'look at the child
there! Belinda dear, wake up. Poor dear thing! you had better go up stairs
to bed.' And rubbing her eyes, the child took up a lighted candle, bowed
politely to Mr. Hardesty, and disappeared behind the stair-door.

Miss Sidebottom resumed her seat and looked again at the fire, and Mr.
Hardesty looked at Miss Sidebottom. Presently, that amiable lady turned
her gaze, lighted as it was by an equivocal smile, full upon Tom. In the
space of about fifteen seconds, after trying in vain to interpret that
smile to his own satisfaction, Mr. Hardesty quailed, while his heart
commenced vibrating against his ribs, as though it would burst their
feeble barrier, and take refuge in his waistcoat-pocket. Miss Sidebottom,
however, showed no such symptoms of alarm, and her courage rose as Tom's
fell. By the way, composure in such delicate epochs is like see-sawing;
one ascends as the other descends, until perchance the weaker party fails
to recover his equilibrium, and tumbles off the fence. Diffident young
courtiers should remember this.

Mr. Hardesty was bewildered beyond endurance. How could a man speak more
plainly? And yet he would try once more.

'Let me tell you, my dear Miss Sidebottom, once for all, I'm----'

There was a noise of some one opening the front door, and as Mr. Hardesty
turned his head, Dick entered the room.

'Why, Dicky, where have you been this cold night?' asked his aunt.

Dicky replied that he had been snow-balling, of which there were