is mincing travels about the yard. The
sunshine was on his splendid white coat, but Rebecca Mary felt no pride
in him.

"Ain't that the han'somest rooster! You ought to show him at the fair, I
declare! See how his feathers glisten in the sun!"

"Thomas Jefferson belongs to Rebecca Mary," Aunt Olivia said, briefly.
"She raised him."

"My! Well, he's han'some enough. Ain't it amusing how a nice-feeling
rooster like that will go stepping round as if he felt about too toppy
to live! He'd ought to wear diamonds."

"Oh, oh, dear, please don't!" breathed Rebecca Mary, softly, but neither
of the women heard her.

"Well, well, I must be going. I've made a regular visit. But I tell John
when I get away from home, it feels so good I STAY! 'I don't get away
any too often,' I says, 'and I guess I've earnt the right.' Well, I must
be going if I'm ever going to! Good-bye, Miss Plummer--good-bye, Rebecca
Mary. All is, I hope Mis' Avery's boarder'll find her diamond, don't
you? But I don't calculate she will. Well, good afternoon. She hadn't
ought to have wore the ring, when she knew it was loose in the setting
like that. Some folks are just that careless! Well--"

But Rebecca Mary did not hear the rest of the Caller's leave-taking. She
had slipped away to Thomas Jefferson out in the sun.

"Oh, come here--come here with me!" she cried, intensely. "Come out
behind the barn where we can talk. I've got to say something to you
that's awful! I've GOT to, you've got to listen, Thomas Jefferson."

It was still and terribly hot in the treeless glare behind the barn, but
it was all in the day's work to Thomas Jefferson. Behind the barn was a
beautiful place for bugs.

"Listen! Oh, you poor dear, you've got to listen!" Rebecca Mary cried.
"You've got to stop hunting for bugs--and don't you dare to crow! If you
crow, Thomas Jefferson, it will break my heart. I don't s'pose you know
what you've done--I don't know as you've done it--but there's something
awful happened. Oh, Thomas Jefferson, it glittered--I saw it glitter!"
Suddenly Rebecca Mary stooped and gathered Thomas Jefferson into her
arms. She held him with a passionate clasp against her flat little
calico breast. He was HERS. He was all the intimate friend she had ever
had. He had been her little downy baby and slept in her hand. She had
fed him and watched him grow and been proud of him. He was her all.

"Oh, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson, what was it that glittered in
the