Had I
known it, I need not have taken this trouble. Our names in the mail-box
just outside the door would have summoned the numerous emissaries of
trade, as if by magic.

It did so, in fact, for the Little Woman put the name in while I was
gone, and on my return I found her besieged by no less than three
butchers and grocerymen, while two rival milkmen were explaining with
diagrams the comparative richness of their respective cans and bottles.
The articles I had but just purchased were even then being sent up on
the dumb waiter, but our furnishings from below were still unheard
from.

A horrible fear that I had given the wrong address began to grow upon
us. The Little Woman was calm, but regarded me accusingly. She said she
didn't see how it could have happened, when in every accent of her voice
I could detect memories of other things I had done in this line--things
which, at the time, had seemed equally impossible.

She said she hadn't been paying attention when I gave the number or she
would have known. Of course, she said, the transfer clerk couldn't make
a mistake putting it down--he was too accustomed to such things, and of
course I must have given it to him correctly--only, it did seem
strange----

We began debating feverishly as to the advisability of my setting out
at once on a trip down town to see about it. We concluded to telephone.

I hastened around to the drug store not far away and "helloed" and
repeated and fumed and swore in agony for half an hour, but I came back
in high spirits. The address was correct and the delivery wagons were
out. I expected to find them at the door when I got back, but found only
the Little Woman, sitting on the doorstep, still waiting.

We told each other that after all it must necessarily take some little
time to get up this far, but that the matting would certainly be along
presently, now, and that it would take but a short time to lay it.

Then we would have a good start, and even if everything didn't come
to-night it would be jolly to put the new mattresses down on the nice
clean matting, and to get dinner the best way we could--like camping
out. Then we walked back and forth in the semi-light of our empty little
place and said how nice it was, and where we should set the furniture
and hang the pictures: and stepped off the size of the rooms that all
put together were not so big as had been our one big sitting-room in the
West.

As for the Precious Ones, they were