e loved loved another. Still he was kind to HER, and they belonged to
the same class; she had a chance, and gleams of hope. And, after all,
the future was uncertain, but the present certain: she had him to
herself for the day. She was close to him--so close, that she could feel
him--and he was driving her out, and to those who loved her: she basked
in the present delight, and looked as if she was being taken to heaven
by an angel, instead of driving to Cairnhope by a gloomy young man, whom
the passers-by envied, and wondered at his good luck in having such a
companion. She talked to him, and got the short answers of an absent
man. But she continued to make her little remarks occasionally, and, ere
they reached Cairnhope, he found himself somehow soothed by her sex, her
beauty, and her mellow, kindly voice.

As they drove up to the farm-house, he told her to hide her face a
moment, for they didn't know who it was.

Martha ran out. "Y'are welcome, y'are welcome; and so is your--Eh! Why
it's our Jael. 'Tis no avail to hide thy face, thou jade; I know every
bit o' thee." And Patty had her out of the gig in a moment, and there
was a cuddling match it did one good to see.

Henry perked up for a moment and offered a suggestion. "Some of that
ought to come my way, for bringing her here."

"Oh, you'll get enough o' that fun before you die," said Patty. "Now
come you in; the carter's boy will take the horse."

They went in and greeted the old farmer; and soon the bell began to ring
for church, and Nathan Dence told Martha to put on her bonnet.

"La, father!" said she, piteously.

"She prefers to stay at home and chat with Jael," said Henry. The fact
is, he wanted to be rid of them both.

Old Dence shook his head. He was one of those simple, grand, old rustic
Christians, who have somehow picked out the marrow of religion, and left
the devil the bone, yclept theology. "What?" said he, "my lasses! can't
ye spare God a slice out of his own day?"

"Nay, it is not that, father."

The old man continued his remonstrance. "To be sure our Jael is a
cordial. But she'll dine and sup with us. Take my word for 't, all
lawful pleasures are sweeter on the Lord's day after a bit o' church."

"And so they are, father; but dear heart! to think of you forgetting.
Will nobody tell him? They're sworn to give me a red face, Jael and
all."

This piteous appeal set Jael's wits working. "Eh, father, it will be the
first of her bans!"

"Is