d out her feet towards
the fire. Both parties meditating.

"You and she hain't come to any understanding yet?" the lady began.
Will shifted his position uneasily and spoke not.

"I wouldn't wait _too_ long, if I was you. She might take a notion to
somebody else, you know, and then you and me'd be nowhere."

"Has she, Mis' Starling?" Will asked, terrified.

"She hain't told _me_ nothing of it, if she has; and I hain't seen her
look sweet on anybody; but she might, you know, Will, if anybody came
along that she fancied. I always like to get the halter over my horse's
head, and then I know I've got him."

The image suggested nothing but difficulty to Will's imagination. A
halter over Diana's stately neck!

"I allays catch a horse by cornerin' him," he said sheepishly, and
again moving restlessly in his chair.

"That won't answer in this chase," said Mrs. Starling. "Diana'll walk
up to you of her own accord, if she comes at all; but you must hold out
your hand, Will."

"Ain't I a-doin' that all the while, Mis' Starling?" said Will, whom
every one of his friend's utterances seemed to put farther and farther
away from his goal.

"I reckon she'll come, all right," said Mrs. Starling reassuringly;
"but, you know, girls ain't obliged to see anybody's hand till they
have to. You all like 'em better for bein' skittish. I don't. She ain't
skittish with me, neither; and she won't be with you, when you've
caught her once. Take your time, only I wouldn't be _too_ long about
it, as I said."

Poor Will! The sweat stood upon his brow with the prospect of what was
before him, perhaps that very day; for what time could be better for
"holding out his hand" to Diana than a solitary sleigh ride? Then, if
he held out his hand and she wouldn't see it!

Meanwhile.--Diana had, as stated, left the kitchen, and mounted the
stairs with a peculiarly quick, light tread which meant business; for
the fact was that she did discern the holding out of Will's hand, and
was taking a sudden sheer. Nothing but the sheer was quite distinct to
her mind as she set her foot upon the stair; but before she reached the
top landing-place, she knew what she would do. Her mother was not going
to church; Will Flandin was; and the plan, she saw, was fixed, that he
should drive herself. Her mother would oblige her to go; or else, if
she made a determined stand, Will on the other hand would not go; and
she would have to endure him, platitudes, blue necktie,