and knew
that they had sat down on the bench behind Hansard and Jennie. He
overheard Bates, who could not possibly speak in a whisper, ask her in
a mumbling bass voice if she wanted her cloak, and he saw the shadows
of the couple on the ground as she stood up and allowed him to help her
put it on.

Gradually the shed had filled to overflowing. A white-haired preacher
raised the tune of a familiar hymn, and the principal service of the
day began.

After the sermon was over, the congregation rose to get their
lunch-baskets, which had been left in their vehicles.

"Mighty poky business so far," Westerfelt heard Jennie Wynn say, as she
and Hansard went out ahead of him; "wait until after dinner, they'll
get limbered up by that time."

Westerfelt hoped Harriet and Bates would leave as soon as the others
did, but he saw them standing between the benches as if waiting for
some one. He looked straight ahead of him as he approached them, and
was about to pass without looking in the direction, when Bates caught
his arm and detained him.

"Miss Harriet wants to see you," he said, with a grin; "you wouldn't be
in such a hurry if you knew what for."

"I want you to come to dinner with us," Harriet said, tremulously,
leaning forward. "Jennie Wynn and I are going to put our baskets
together, and Hyram Longtree and Sue Kirby are coming."

"I thank you," he said, "but I reckon I'll have to eat with Mrs.
Bradley." He might have accepted the invitation if Bates had not been
grinning so complacently and looking at Harriet with such a large air
of ownership.

"Oh, come on," urged Bates. "You get Bradley hash every day; there is
some'n good in our basket; I could smell it all the way out here."

"I wish you _would_ come," urged Harriet. "Mrs. Bradley will let you
off."

There was something in her look and tone that convinced him that she
had detected his jealousy and was sympathizing with him, and that in
itself angered him.

"No, I thank you, not to-day," he said, coldly; "how did you like the
preacher?"

"Very well," she replied, her face falling. "I have heard him before."

He had brought it on himself, but he was stung to the quick when she
touched Bates's arm, smiled indifferently, and said: "I see Sue and
Hyram out there waiting for us; we'd better go."

As Westerfelt walked on, overwhelmed with jealous rage, he heard her in
the same tone ask Jennie Wynn to send Frank after her basket.
Westerfelt edged his