would. Again her mother's warning words rang in her ears. Then
came the resolve never to tell her. If it went right she would add to
the dear woman's comforts in silence. If it went wrong--but it couldn't
go wrong: Maria had said so: the papers had said so: the posters said
so--everybody and everything said so.

As the day wore on she became so nervous that she mixed the letters in
their pigeon-holes.

"That ain't for me, Miss Todd," was called out half a dozen times when B
or F or S letters had gone into the wrong box. "Guess you must a-got it
in the B's by mistake. Woolgathering, ain't ye?"

Maria was her only confidante and her only comfort. The Boston girl
laughed when she listened to her fears, and braced her up with fairy
stories of the winnings of Miss Henders and Slathers and the money they
were making; but the relief was only temporary.

Soon the strain began to show itself in her face. "You ain't sick,
Abbie, be you?" asked the mother. "No? Well, you look kind o' peaked.
Don't work too hard, child. Maybe something's worryin' you--something
you ain't told me. No man I don't know about, is there?" and the
mother's sad eyes searched the daughter's.

To all these inquiries the girl only shook her head, adding that the
down mail was late and a big one and she had hurried to sort it.

When the Boston mail arrived the next morning and was dumped from its
bag upon her sorting-table, her own name flamed out on one of Keep &
Co.'s envelopes.

Abbie broke the seal and devoured its contents with bated breath, her
fingers trembling:

We are happy to inform you that the last sales of Rock Creek ranged from
13 to 14 3/4--15 bid at close. We confidently expect the stock will sell
at 20 before the week is out. We shall be glad to receive your further
orders as well as those of any of your friends.

Abbie's heart gave a bound; the blood mounted to the roots of her hair.

"Fifteen--twenty--why--why! that's two hundred dollars for me after
paying Mr. Taylor." The chill of doubt was over now. The fever of hope
had set in. "Two hundred! Two hundred!" she kept repeating, as her
fingers caressed the certificate snuggling close to her heart.

When she swung wide the porch door and threw her arms around her
astonished mother's neck, the refrain was still on her lips. It had
been years since the hard-working girl had given way to any such joyous
outburst.

"Oh, I'm so happy! Don't ask me why--but I am!"

The mother kisse