y hands in a
way not to be disputed. "I always unharness Charley myself. No one
understands him half so well. Besides, I'm used to it. Didn't I tell
you I'd always been Father's boy?"

"I well believe it," I thought in disgust, as she led the horse over
to the well and I went up to Aunt Lucy. Through the sitting-room
windows I kept a watchful eye on Miss Ashley as she watered and deftly
unharnessed Charley and led him into his stable with sundry pats on
his nose. Then I saw no more of her till she came in to tell us tea
was ready, and led the way out to the dining room.

It was evident Miss Gussie held the reins of household government, and
no doubt worthily. Those firm, capable white hands of hers looked as
though they might be equal to a good many emergencies. She talked
little, leaving the conversation to Aunt Lucy and myself, though she
occasionally dropped in an apt word. Toward the end of the meal,
however, she caught hold of an unfortunate opinion I had incautiously
advanced and tore it into tatters. The result was a spirited argument,
in which Miss Gussie held her own with such ability that I was utterly
routed and found another grievance against her. It was very
humiliating to be worsted by a girl--a country girl at that, who had
passed most of her life on a farm! No doubt she was strong-minded and
wanted to vote. I was quite prepared to believe anything of her.

After tea Miss Ashley proposed a walk around the premises, in order to
initiate me into my duties. Apart from his farm, Mr. Ashley owned
large grist-and saw-mills and did a flourishing business, with the
details of which Miss Gussie seemed so conversant that I lost all
doubt of her ability to run the whole thing as she had claimed. I felt
quite ignorant in the light of her superior knowledge, and our walk
was enlivened by some rather too lively discussions between us. We
walked about together, however, till the shadows of the firs by the
mills stretched nearly across the pond and the white moon began to put
on a silvery burnish. Then we wound up by a bitter dispute, during
which Gussie's eyes were very black and each cheek had a round, red
stain on it. She had a little air of triumph at having defeated me.

"I have to go now and see about putting away the milk, and I dare say
you're not sorry to be rid of me," she said, with a demureness I had
not credited her with, "but if you come to the verandah in half an
hour I'll bring you out a glass of new