e him his Christmas present, a good solid one, that'll last
him a sight longer than the money would have, and then I hove him back
into the drift to cool off a spell,--he was some warm, and so was
I,--and come along. So now I've got the money, and that lady can rest
easy in her mind; only I've got to let her know. Now, Miss Hands, I'm
no kind of a hand at writin' letters; I've been studyin' all the way
along the ro'd how to tell that lady that she ain't owin' me a cent; and
I don't know as I've hit it off real good."

[Illustration: "'THEN I HOVE HIM BACK INTO THE DRIFT TO COOL OFF A
SPELL.'"]

He felt in his pockets, and produced a scrap of paper; with an anxious
eye on Mary Sands, he read aloud as follows.

"Dear Ma'am;--I got that money and give the feller one instead, so
no more and received payment from yours respy C. Parks."

"How's that, Miss Hands? Will it do, think?"

Mary's eyes twinkled. "It's short and sweet, Mr. Parks," she said; "it
tells the story, certin, though I don't doubt but she'd be pleased to
hear more from you."

"That's all I've got to say!" said Calvin simply; "I'm glad to get it
off my mind. How's the boys this morning?"

"That's why I made an errand out here before you went into the house!"
said Mary Sands.

They were sitting in the harness-room, she in the chair, he on the
bucket. There was a fire in the stove, and the place was full of the
pleasant smell of warm leather. Their speech was punctuated by the
stamping and neighing of the brown horse, the young colt, the old horse
of all, the mare, and Old John, in the stable adjoining.

Mary Sands' hazel eyes were full of a half-humorous anxiety.

"I wanted to talk to you a little about Cousins!" she said. "They've
been actin' real strange the past week, ever since you was here last.
Honest, I don't believe they've thought of one single thing besides each
other. Werryin' and frettin' and watchin'--I'm 'most worn out with 'em.
There! if it warn't so comical I should cry, and if it warn't so pitiful
I should laugh. That's just the way I feel about it, Mr. Parks."

"Sho!" said Calvin sympathetically. "I don't wonder at it, Miss Hands,
not a mite. They haven't got round to speakin' to each other yet, I
s'pose?"

Mary shook her head. "No!" she said. "They want to, I'm sure of that,
but yet neither one of 'em will speak first. Such foolishness I never
did see. Now take yesterday! Cousin Sam went to town, and Cousin Sim
werried