Sabbath I wish them high bucks would
call," she added, as she gave a final whisk to the duster and went to
prepare for church. "I'm goin' to lock the door and put the key under
the mat, so nobody can get in if they want to. I might lose it if I
carried it to meetin'. I did once, and had to clamber inter the butry
winder," was her last remark as she left the house; and Eloise heard the
click of the key and knew she was locked in and alone.

She was not afraid, but began to imagine what she could do in case of a
fire, or if any one were to come knocking at the door. "Sit still and
not answer," she was thinking when Jack came rapidly up the walk. She
saw his shadow as he passed the window, and her heart gave a great
bound, for she knew who was "desiccating" the Sabbath by calling upon
her. The first knock she did not answer, but when the second came,
louder and more imperative than the first, she called out, "The key is
under the mat," regretting her temerity in an instant, and trembling as
she thought, "What if I am doing something improper to admit him, and
Mrs. Biggs should disapprove!"

The thought sent the blood to her cheeks, which were scarlet as Jack
came in, eager and delighted to find her alone.

"Locked up like a prisoner," he said, as he took her hand, which he held
longer than was at all necessary, while he looked into her eyes, where
the gladness at seeing him again was showing so plainly.

When he last saw her she was arrayed in Mrs. Biggs's spotted calico, and
he was quick to note the change. He had thought her lovely before; she
was beautiful now, with the brightness in her eyes and the color coming
and going so rapidly on her cheeks. Drawing a chair close to her, he sat
down just where he could look at her as he talked, and could watch the
varying expression on her face. Once he laid his hand on the arm of her
chair, but withdrew it when he saw her troubled look, as if she feared
he was getting too familiar. He asked her about her sprain, and was
greatly interested, or seemed to be, in the massage and rubber band
which were helping her so much. Then he spoke of Ruby Ann, the biggest
woman he ever saw, he believed, and just the one for a school-teacher.
He was past the school-house the day before, he said. It seemed they had
half a day on Saturday and half a day on Wednesday. It was the boys'
recess, and he never heard such a hullaballoo as they were making. A
tall, lanky boy seemed to be the leader, w