he young girl placed her hand upon his arm and asked a question. The
young man dropped the paper and gazed into the girl's face with a look
full of tenderness, and placing one of his hands upon that of the young
girl clasped it fondly, and Quincy saw that the face of this young man
was his own. He sat there until there came a loud rap upon the door and
Mandy's voice called out, "Supper's ready."

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE COURTIN'.

While Quincy was taking his first steps in Lover's Lane, which steps so
often lead to the high road of Matrimony, 'Zekiel Pettengill had reached
the end of his lane, which had been very long with many devious turns,
and he found himself at that point where the next important question was
to fix the day.

'Zekiel was a strong-minded, self-willed, self-reliant young man, but in
the presence of Huldy Mason he was as big a coward as the world ever
saw. She had sent a little note to him, saying that she wished to see
him that afternoon, and he knew their fates would be decided that day.
He was hopeful, but the most hopeful lover has spasms of uncertainty
until his lady love has said yes and yes again.

Dressed in his best, 'Zekiel knocked at Deacon Mason's front door. For
an instant he wished himself safe at home and debated whether he could
get round the corner of the house before the door was opened. He turned
his head to measure the distance, but at that moment the door was
opened, and Mrs. Mason's smiling face was before him, and her pleasant,
cheery voice said, "Come in, 'Zekiel."

He felt reassured by this, for he argued to himself that she would have
called him Mr. Pettengill if there had been any change in her feelings
towards him. They entered the parlor, and Mrs. Mason said, "Take off
your things and leave them right here, and go right up and see Huldy.
She is waitin' for you. The doctor's been and gone. He took that plaster
thing off Huldy's arm, says she's all right now, only she must be
keerful, not do any heavy liftin' with it till it gets good and strong.
He said it would be some time before she could help me much with the
housework, so I am going to get a girl for a month or two. I heerd your
sister got home, 'Zeke. They do say she's blind. I am awful sorry,
'Zekiel. Hope she will get better of it. I am coming over to see her
just as soon as I get me my girl. But you go right up, there's nobody
there but Huldy. Mr. Sawyer is coming after the nurse to-morrow morning,
and s