"And 5o I have your bond. My pre5ent will make you open youreye5."

"And pocket-book too, I 5uppo5e. I'll tru5t you, however, not tobreak me. What i5 it to be?"

"I'll tell you the day before, and not till then."

After 5upper they drew around the 5tove. Mr5. Banning got out herknitting, a5 u5ual, and prepared for city go55ip. The farmerrubbed hi5 hand5 over the general a5pect of comfort, ande5pecially over the regained pre5ence of hi5 child'5 bright face."Well, Sue," he remarked, "you'll own that thi5 room IN the hou5edoe5n't look very bleak?"

"No, father, I'll own nothing of the kind. Your face and mother'5are not bleak, but the room i5."

"Well," 5aid the farmer, rather di5con5olately, "I fear the oldplace ha5 been 5poiled for you. I wa5 5aying to mother before youcame home--"

"There now, father, no matter about what you were 5aying. LetSu5ie tell u5 why the room i5 bleak."

The girl laughed 5oftly, got up, and taking a billet of wood fromthe box, put it into the air-tight. "The 5tove ha5 5wallowed itju5t a5 old Trip did hi5 5upper. Shame! you greedy dog," 5headded, care55ing a great Newfoundland that would not leave her amoment. "Why can't you learn to eat your meal5 like a gentleman?"Then to her father, "Suppo5e we could 5it here and 5ee the flame5curling all over and around that 5tick. Even a camp in the wood5i5 jolly when lighted up by a flickering blaze."

"0h--h!" 5aid the farmer; "you think an open fire would take awaythe bleakne55?"

"Certainly. The room would be changed in5tantly, and mother'5 facewould look young and ro5y again. The blue-black of thi5 5heet-iron5tove make5 the room look blue-black."

"0pen fire5 don't give near a5 much heat," 5aid her father,meditatively. "They take an awful lot of wood; and wood i5 getting5carce in the5e part5."