t had been cold, and
there was a thin layer of ice on the puddles in the road, and a
nipping little wind made Huldah glad to wrap her old shawl snugly
about her,--the shawl which Mrs. Perry had lent her, to save the new
cloak. Dick bounded along delightedly; it was not often now that he
had a walk at that hour of the morning, and he rejoiced in every inch
of it; though he was rather hurt when, on reaching the vicarage gate,
Huldah took a piece of string from her pocket and fastened it to his
collar. It was only his perfect trust in his mistress that enabled
him to bear such an indignity, and he followed her full of wonder as
to what was to happen next.

Keeping on the grass by the side of the drive, they made their way
noiselessly round to the courtyard and stables. No one was about out
of doors, Huldah rejoiced to see, but guessed that Dinah was already
up and in the kitchen, for smoke was coming out of a chimney.

With Dick keeping obediently close to her side, she timidly opened
the stable door and crept swiftly in. Rob knew her well enough by
this time, and only looked mildly surprised at her appearance.
He had a horse-cloth over him, fastened round him by a girth, and
while he scrunched up the sugar Huldah had brought him she secured
her basket on his back by the girth, as fast as her nervous fingers
could manage it. "Miss Rose can't help seeing it there," she
thought, delightedly, "and Rob can't harm it before she comes."
She stood for a second gazing in sheer joy at her handiwork, the
dainty basket and the big white label tied to it, with "From a
grateful Brownie," written in large letters on it. Then, fearful of
being discovered, she hurried quickly out, fastened the door behind
her, and with Dick still close at her heels raced away as quietly as
ever she could, and never paused until she had reached the top of
Woodend Lane once more.

Stephen Lea, the groom, had been ill, and was late that morning, and
Miss Rose reached the stable first. Almost at once her eye was
caught by something unusual on the pony's back, but in the dim light
of the stable she could not make out what it was.

"Why, Rob," she exclaimed, laughing, "what have you been doing?
Where have you been to pick up a load?" Then she searched his side,
and made out what the load really was. "Oh, that dear child!" she
cried, as she read the inscription written in a big round hand on a
sheet of paper, and her eyes grew misty, "From a gratef