aking a very early
start so as to save time. Would you like to go?"

"There's no need of my going."

"I thought perhaps you'd enjoy the drive."

"I would have to meet strangers and I'm so entirely content in being
alone--I won't go this time unless you wish it."

"Well, if you don't care about it, I'll carry out my first plan and
take a very early start. I want to sell the butter and eggs on hand,
repay Tom Watterly, and get some seeds. We need some things from the
store, too, I suppose?"

"Yes, you are such a coffee drinker--" she began, smiling.

"Oh, I know!" he interrupted. "Make out your list. You shall say what
we want. Isn't there something you want for yourself?"

"No, not for myself, but I do want something that perhaps you would
enjoy, too. You may think it a waste of money, though."

"Well, you've a right to waste some in your way as well as I have over
my pipe."

"That's good. I hadn't thought of that. You are the one that puts
notions into my head. I would like three or four geraniums and a few
flower seeds."

He looked as if he was thinking deeply and she felt a little hurt that
he should not comply at once with her request, knowing that the outlay
suggested was very slight.

At last he looked up, smiling as he said, "So I put notions into your
head, do I?"

"Oh, well," she replied, flushing in the consciousness of her thoughts,
"if you think it's foolish to spend money for such things--"

"Tush, tush, Alida! Of course I'll get what you wish. But I really am
going to put a notion into your head, and it's stupid and scarcely fair
in me that I hadn't thought of some such plan before. You want to take
care of the chickens. Well, I put them wholly in your care and you
shall have all you can make off them--eggs, young chickens, and
everything."

"That IS a new notion," she replied, laughing. "I hadn't thought of
such a thing and it's more than fair. What would I do with so much
money?"

"What you please. Buy yourself silk dresses if you want to."

"But I couldn't use a quarter of the money."

"No matter, use what you like and I'll put the rest in the bank for you
and in your name. I was a nice kind of a business partner, wasn't I?
Expecting you to do nearly half the work and then have you say, 'Will
you please get me a few plants and seeds?' and then, 'Oh! If you think
it's foolish to spend money for such things.' Why, you have as good a
right to spend some of the money y