aling a white arm that was becoming beautifully plump and
round. An artist would have said that her attitude and action were
unconsciously natural and graceful. Holcroft had scarcely the remotest
idea of artistic effect, but he had a sensible man's perception of a
charming woman when she is charming.

"Mr. Holcroft," she asked very gravely, "will you do something for me?"

"Yes, half a dozen things."

"You promise?"

"Certainly! What's the trouble?"

"I don't mean there shall be any if I can help it," she answered with a
light ripple of laughter. "Please go and put on your coat."

"How you've humbugged me! It's too hot."

"Oh, you've got to do it; you promised. You can't stay here unless you
do."

"So you are going to take care of me as if I were a small boy?"

"You need care--sometimes."

He soon came back and asked, "Now may I stay?"

"Yes. Please untie the dog. Butter's come."

"I should think it would, or anything else at your coaxing."

"Oh-h, what a speech! Hasn't that a pretty golden hue?" she asked,
holding up a mass of the butter she was ladling from the churn into a
wooden tray.

"Yes, you are making the gilt-edge article now. I don't have to sell
it to Tom Watterly any more."

"I'd like to give him some, though."

He was silent, and something like sudden rage burned in his heart that
Mrs. Watterly would not permit the gift. That anyone should frown on
his having such a helper as Alida was proving herself to be, made him
vindictive. Fortunately her face was turned away, and she did not see
his heavy frown. Then, to shield her from a disagreeable fact, he said
quickly, "do you know that for over a year I steadily went behind my
expenses. And that your butter making has turned the tide already?
I'm beginning to get ahead again."

"I'm SO glad," and her face was radiant.

"Yes, I should know that from your looks. It's clearer every day that
I got the best of our bargain. I never dreamed, though, that I should
enjoy your society as I do--that we should become such very good
friends. That wasn't in the bargain, was it?"

"Bargain!" The spirited way with which she echoed the word, as if
thereby repudiating anything like a sordid side to their mutual
relations, was not lost on her wondering and admiring partner. She
checked herself suddenly. "Now let me teach YOU how to make butter,"
and with the tray in her lap, she began washing the golden product and
pressing out the milk.