wn at herself, her simple print dress, her
brown hands, and the heavy shoes which much walking made necessary, and
wondered how she did really appear; and there was a distinct misgiving in
everything where the older woman had to be considered.

John came early that evening. The carpenters had raised new questions
about shelves and doors and Elizabeth must go over and decide those
matters. They walked over, and it was late before all the simple
arrangements could be decided upon. As they returned they walked close
together in the centre of the deep road so as to avoid the dew-laden grass
on either side. The open door of Nathan's house gave out a hospitable
light, but they were content to saunter slowly, listening to the harvest
crickets which were already chirruping in the weeds about them, and
looking at the lazy red disk of the moon just peeping above the eastern
horizon.

"I shall write mother of our engagement to-night," John said after a
rather long silence.

"Oh, don't," the girl replied, awakened suddenly from a reverie of a
different sort. "Let's keep it a secret for a while. I haven't told Aunt
Susan yet, and I don't want to tell her till I go to Topeka. Of course
I'll have to explain if you come down there to see me."

"To Topeka?" John exclaimed in astonishment.

Elizabeth laughed merrily. "Why, yes," she said. "Isn't it like me to
think you knew all about that? I'm going to Topeka to school this
winter--and--and I hope You'll come a lot. We'll have awfully good times.
Then I'll teach another term and get my wedding clothes and get them made,
and then, John Hunter, I am yours to have and to hold," she ended
happily.

"You don't mean that you are going to school again now that you are going
to get married?" John Hunter asked with such incredulity that Elizabeth
laughed a little joyous laugh full of girlish amusement, full of love and
anticipation.

"Why of course--why not? All the more because we are going to be married.
I'll want to brush up on lots of things before I have to live near your
mother; and--and we'll have awfully good times when you come to see me."

"Oh, goodness!" John said irritably. "I'd counted on being married this
fall. I simply can't wait two years, and that is all there is about it."
Elizabeth argued easily at first, certain that it could be readily
arranged, but John became more and more positive. At last she became
worried.

The harvest crickets were forgotten as the young gi