manner, "do you think I can consent to have my affairs bandied from
messenger to messenger in this way? I will write."

She said this boldly enough, but her heart shrank from it. Her mind went
blank when she tried to figure what she should say. She could do nothing
but prostrate herself anew before the re-established idol. She began to
realize the fact that whatever disguise of hate and despite her love had
taken, she had done nothing but love him all along.

Ruth contented herself with the promise, but, as it happened, Rachel
never wrote, or had need to write, upon this question. For Reuben,
strolling early in the morning, and finding his feet wandering in the
direction of Rachel's cottage, encountered his uncle, and their talk
rendered the letter unnecessary. Ezra flushed and coughed behind his
hand in more than a commonly deprecatory way when he sighted his nephew.

"Well, lad," he began.

"Ruth took the letter," answered Reuben. "I waited outside for her,
and I know Miss Blythe was deeply affected by it, because I heard
her crying. Ruth stayed all night with her," he continued, "and I
suppose"--with a flush and a little hesitation--"I suppose she's there
now."

"That means as they two are reunited?" said Ezra; and, without saying
much more, the old man took his nephew's arm and they strolled by the
cottage together.

Its inmates were early astir despite the lateness of the hour at which
they had retired; and hearing voices as they stood together in the
bedroom renewing the moving duet of the evening, they peeped through the
curtains and saw uncle and nephew go by arm-in-arm. At this they flew
together and embraced, and from that moment the duet became broken and
confused. The little maid who assisted Rachel in her household affairs
had not jet arrived; so the old lady herself lit the fire and made tea,
while Ruth established herself in ambush in the parlor, and kept a watch
upon the road. When Rachel came in to lay the snowy table-cloth, the
china and the spoons made an unusual clatter in her trembling hands,
and the two were in such a state of agitation that breakfast was a pure
pretence. While they were seated at table Reuben and Ezra again strolled
by; and Ruth divined the fact that not only was Reuben waiting for her,
which was to be expected, but Ezra was attending the moment when she
should quit the house in order that he might make a call upon
Aunt Rachel. So in such a state of tremulous-ness as she h