ile we are having
supper round the fire."

"I'd have a pretty show of telling it there. I don't want it put in
the 'Noonoon Advertiser,' but that's what I'll have to do if you won't
give me a chance. If you keep pretending you don't get my letters,
I'll write all that I put in them to your grandma, and tell her to
tell you," he said jokingly; but the girl took him up shortly.

"If you dare do that," said she, aroused from her indifference, "I'd
never speak to you again the longest day I live, so you needn't think
you'll get over me that way. You'd better tell Uncle Jake and Andrew
too while you're about it, and Dora Cowper might be vexed if you don't
tell her."

"Well, I bet you'd listen to what the red-headed mug said quick
enough," replied "Dora" Eweword in an injured tone.

"The red-headed mug, as you call him--and his hair isn't much redder
than yours, and is twice as nice," she retaliated, "he would be a
gentleman anyhow, and not a bear with a scalded head."

By this time they had reached the gate, and Dawn was carelessly
inviting him to enter, but he declined in rather a crestfallen tone.

"Better invite red-head, not me, if you won't listen to what I say,
and pretend you never received my letters."

"Thank you for the good advice. I hope he'll accept my invitation,
because he is always pleasant and agreeable," she retorted.

NINETEEN.

AN OPPORTUNELY INOPPORTUNE DOUCHE.

It was just as well that "Dora" Eweword had been too chopfallen to
come in, for we found the place in what grandma termed "a uproar."

As we had gone out Mrs Bray had arrived to relate her speculations in
regard to Mrs Rooney-Molyneux. Mrs Bray did not live a great distance
from the latter's cottage, and as she had not seen her about during
the day, wondered had she come to her travail.

Andrew decided the matter when he came home by relating what he had
heard when passing the cottage; and he supplemented the statement by
the deplorable information that "the old bloke is up at Jimmeny's
tryin' if he can get a free drink."

"I must go to her," said grandma, rising in haste.

"I wouldn't if I was you," said Mrs Bray. "You don't never get no
thanks for nothing like that, and might get yourself into a mess; I
believe in leaving people to manage their own affairs."

Carry sniffed in the background.

"I'll risk all that," said grandma. "For shame's sake an' the sake of
me daughters, an' every other woman, I couldn't leave on