returning
her impetuous salute; she slipped away, and, shaking off the last
drops, answered with a curious mixture of old freedom and new respect,--

"No more sentiment, please, John. We know each other now; and when I
find a friend, I never let him go. We have smoked the pipe of peace;
so let us go back to our wigwams and bury the feud. Where were we when
I lost my head? and what were we talking about?"

"Cinderella and the Prince."

As she spoke, John's eye kindled, and, turning, he looked down at Nan,
who sat diligently ornamenting with microscopic stitches a great patch
going on, the wrong side out.

"Yes,--so we were; and now taking pussy for the godmother, the
characters of the story are well personated,--all but the slipper,"
said Di, laughing, as she thought of the many times they had played it
together years ago.

A sudden movement stirred John's frame, a sudden purpose shone in his
countenance, and a sudden change befell his voice, as he said,
producing from some hiding-place a little wornout shoe,--

"I can supply the slipper;--who will try it first?"

Di's black eyes opened wide, as they fell on the familiar object; then
her romance-loving nature saw the whole plot of that drama which needs
but two to act it. A great delight flushed up into her face, as she
promptly took her cue, saying--

"No need for us to try it, Laura; for it wouldn't fit us, if our feet
were as small as Chinese dolls; our parts are played out; therefore
'Exeunt wicked sisters to the music of the wedding-bells.'"

And pouncing upon the dismayed artist, she swept her out and closed the
door with a triumphant bang.

John went to Nan, and, dropping on his knee as reverently as the herald
of the fairy tale, he asked, still smiling, but with lips grown
tremulous,--

"Will Cinderella try the little shoe, and--if it fits--go with the
Prince?"

But Nan only covered up her face, weeping happy tears, while all the
weary work strayed down upon the floor, as if it knew her holiday had
come.

John drew the hidden face still closer, and while she listened to his
eager words, Nan heard the beating of the strong man's heart, and knew
it spoke the truth.

"Nan, I promised mother to be silent till I was sure I loved you
wholly,--sure that the knowledge would give no pain when I should tell
it, as I am trying to tell it now. This little shoe has been mv
comforter through this long year, and I have kept it as other lovers
keep their