llars_! Now that's so! Hurrah!" Good once more had
triumphed over evil, as the experience of the morning culminated in
this worthy resolution.

Soon the patter of childish feet was heard, and Tillie cried, "Pa, pa,
mother wants to know where you be, 'cause she's been worryin' about
you, fear you's sick, and breakses is all gettin' cold this minute.
Boiled eggs, too, aint it, Ruth?"

"I'll be in directly," came the answer from the high mow; so happy,
chattering, Tillie and quiet Ruth climbed down the high steps and
started toward the house. Their father overtook them as they stopped
to look at the ducks taking their morning bath, and catching Tillie
up, he put her on his shoulder, then drew down the little face and
kissed the fresh, sweet lips. "How natural!" one may say. No, not
natural for John Lyman, whose children feared far more than they loved
him.

Tillie was astonished and half frightened, and as she began to wriggle
uneasily, her father set her gently down.

In a trice she was beside Ruth, and pulling her head down she
whispered in her ear, "Pa just kissed me all his own self, Ruth." "Did
he?" said Ruth, opening her eyes very wide. Then she hurried on and
walked close by her father's side, while at her little heart fluttered
the hope that she too might receive a kiss. But she was not noticed;
and very much grieved she shrank away wondering if he loved Tillie
best.

"I dreamed of your father last night, John," said grandmother while
they were at breakfast, "and you can't think how good and natural he
looked." John didn't say anything. During the forenoon John had a long
conference with his wife which seemed to be satisfactory, for as he
left her he said, "Well, then, you take the things out this afternoon,
and Johnson shall come over to do the painting to-morrow." Before
night the cheerful little spare room which adjoined the parlor was
empty, and the old-fashioned paper, with its ever-recurring pictures
of a shepherdess, a hunter, and Rebecca at the well, stripped from the
walls.

Silence was imposed upon the children, for "grandma'm mustn't know,"
and the little things went round the house fairly aching with the
importance of their secret, and holding on to themselves for fear they
might tell. Mysterious trips were taken in the old market-wagon, and a
suspicious smell of new things filled the air; but when grandmother
inquired what was going on down-stairs, Ruth clapped both hands over
her mouth and Ti