g on, the mother employed herself in locking the safe
for the night. It will be remembered that in addition to the stamps and
money belonging to the government and to herself, a liberal amount was
already there, the property of one of the leading citizens of Beartown,
who was glad to entrust it to the keeping of the honest widow.

"I think," said the daughter when Mike had completed his work, which took
only a few minutes, "you have earned your supper."

"Ah, now what reward can equal the light of yer blue eyes and the swate
smile that shows the purtiest teeth in the State of Maine?" was the
instant inquiry in return.

The mother had just finished locking the safe, and, standing up, she
laughed in her gentle way and said:

"Surely you have kissed the blarney stone, Mike."

"I would have done the same had the chance been mine, which it wasn't. Is
there any more play that ye call wurruk which I can do fur the likes of
ye?"

"Nothing more, thank you. Nora and I will now close the store and attend
to preparing supper."

"And I'll bring me frinds to enj'y the same."

So Mike bade them good night for a brief while, and strode down the road
to find Alvin and Chester, whom, as you know, he met on their way to look
for him. The three lingered and chatted, with the view of giving mother
and daughter time in which to make ready the evening meal.

Following a common fashion of the times, the veteran Carter Friestone, in
building his store and home, made the second story the living room of the
family. It could be reached by the stairs at the back of the regular
entrance, being through a narrow hall where visitors rang a bell when
they called.

The upper front apartment served for parlor and sitting room, and was
neatly furnished, one of the principal articles being a piano. This was a
birthday present to Nora, who was gifted with a naturally sweet voice and
received instruction from the schoolmistress of Beartown. At the rear was
the kitchen and dining room, with two bedrooms between that and the
parlor, facing each other across the hall.

Nora answered the tinkle of the bell, and Alvin and Chester were
introduced to her under the light of the hanging lamp overhead. The
little party found the mother awaiting them at the head of the stairs.

"Supper will be ready in a few minutes," she said. "Nora will entertain
you in the parlor until I call you."

The girl escorted them to the front room, where all sat down and chatt