sitting in the rocker by the window, the morning sunshine
streaming in through the leaves and blossoms of the potted plants on the
brackets dappling her hair and cheek with cheery splashes of light and
shade. She was consulting the pages of her cookbook, as a preliminary to
preparing a special dessert for Sunday's dinner, and was humming as she
did so.

She looked up when he spoke.

"What is extraordinary?" she asked. "Your thinkin', do you mean? I don't
see anything very extraordinary about that. You're thinkin' most of the
time, seems to me."

"Oh, I don't mean that. I meant what I was thinking was extraordinary.
Or not precisely that, either. I--ah--I mean--well, you see, when I
was in Washington--at the Institute, you know--it used to annoy
me--ah--extremely, to have any one sing or whistle in my vicinity.
Really, it did. I sometimes spoke very sharply--ah--irritably to any
one who did that. And now, as I stood here and heard you singing,
Miss Martha, it suddenly came over me that I do not mind it at all.
I--ah--actually like to hear you. I do, very much, indeed. Now, isn't
that extraordinary!"

Martha laughed aloud. "Why, yes," she declared; "I think it is. Anybody
likin' to hear me sing is about as extraordinary as anything that ever
was, I guess. Mr. Bangs, you're awfully funny."

Galusha nodded. "Yes," he said, "I am sure I must be. I think if I were
any one else I should laugh at myself a great deal. I mean--ah--I mean
in that case I should laugh, not at myself, but at me. Good gracious, I
haven't made that very clear, have I?"

His smile was so contagious that she laughed again.

"I didn't mean you were funny to laugh at, but to laugh with," she said.
"You're goin' to have an especially nice walk this mornin'. It's such a
lovely forenoon I almost wish I was goin' with you."

Galusha beamed. "Why--why, so do I!" he exclaimed, in delighted
surprise. "Yes, I do, I do, indeed! Ah--ah--why don't you?"

"Mercy me, I couldn't think of it! I must stay here and get to cookin'
or we'll have no puddin' to-morrow noon. I'll be with you in spirit, as
the books say; how will that do?"

Whether or not she was with him in spirit, she was very much in her
lodger's thoughts as he walked down the path to the gate. It was such a
beautiful forenoon, with the first promise of spring in the air, that,
instead of starting toward the village, as was his usual custom, he
turned in the other direction and strolled toward th