time
to talk over the affair so close to their hearts, and the little sitting
room had been turned into a temple by the presence of a young mother that
was to be and that older but childless mother who loved her as her own.
Elizabeth, still on her knees, laid her head in Aunt Susan's lap as of
old, and Susan Hornby, with every hurt buried, listened to her
confessions, with her free hand feeling its way over the thick braids as
she prayed earnestly in her heart that her beloved child would go through
the travail awaiting her without harm and not be left childless in her old
age.

When Nathan's heavy boot crunched on the snow-covered doorstep, Elizabeth
ran to meet him with the broom and a whole world's wealth of welcome in
voice and manner.

"I'm so glad you came to-day. I've been wanting Aunt Susan _so_ of late.
Isn't it a heavy snow for this late in the season?"

She rattled busily along to carry the impress of welcome, for the old man
had not responded to her as his wife had done.

"Well, now," said candid Nathan, "you don't exactly give one th'
impression of pinin' t' see folks when you never come over at all."

Elizabeth knew that though he regarded the broom with which he brushed at
his boots with extra attention, he was listening closely for her answer.

"There's John!" she cried, seeing her husband as he drove a bunch of
calves into the lane. She hastened to tell her guest that her husband had
been some miles to the west to attend a sale, and pretended to have
forgotten Nathan's awkward remark.

She was glad to see that John left Jake to turn the calves into the yards
and came to the house at once, with cordiality shining out of every line
of his face. He made Nathan Hornby so welcome that every sign of
displeasure faded from Nathan's countenance. He gave a hasty brush at his
boots and came in to shake hands with Susan Hornby. He stirred the fire
briskly, and remarked to Nathan:

"Ain't that a dandy bunch of calves? I had a chance to get them at that
Irishman's sale--I forget his name--oh, yes, Tim--Tim--you know? I ought
to know myself since I just signed a note to him. Averaged eighteen
dollars a head--forty-three of 'em. With corn at thirty cents, they'll
turn quick money."

The fire roared under his vigorous poking, and he applied himself to
putting more coal in the stove without looking up.

Elizabeth Hunter's face lost the happy expression with which she had been
regarding him as he welcomed th