ld not interfere with anything he wished
to do with it except to place a loan against it. If he insisted upon
mortgages, though their disagreement became a scandal, she resolved that
she would not consent.

* * * * *

John ate his supper without speaking to any one, and waited from then till
bedtime for his answer, but Elizabeth gave no sign. The next day he
waited, and the next, with increasing uneasiness and alarm. He decided at
last to force her consent.

The third day he put one of the new horses in the single buggy and left
the place without saying where he was going, and not even when he returned
in the evening did he mention what his errand had been.

The following morning a team was driven into the side lane and Elizabeth
saw John meet the driver and help him tie his horses. There was the air of
a prearranged thing between them, and as they came toward the house it
flashed through her mind what had been done. Her whole form straightened
instinctively and she grasped her broom rigidly as she left the dining
room and went to her own bedroom to get control of herself before she
should have to meet the stranger. She realized that the man was the
Johnson John had spoken of as having the quarter section of land for sale.
She was to be called upon to act. The thing she must do she knew was
right; could she make the manner of the doing of it right also? She would
not humiliate him if she could help it; she stayed in her room, hoping
that he would come to call her himself and then she could warn him when he
was alone, but John would not meet her except in the presence of the
stranger, and sent Hepsie to call her. There was no help for it, and
Elizabeth went as she was bidden--went quietly, and was introduced to the
neighbour whom she had never seen.

"Mr. Johnson has accepted my proposition, Elizabeth, to give him
twenty-five dollars an acre for the quarter next to ours," John said after
all were seated.

The girl waited quietly. She noticed that John did not mention the terms
of payment, and waited for him to commit himself on that point.

"Do you know where those blank deeds are? We can make one out while we
conclude the details, and then go in to Colebyville to-morrow and have a
notary take our signatures," John concluded easily.

Elizabeth hesitated visibly, and John had a startled moment, but she went
for the blanks at last, as he directed. The two men sat with thei