"Well, Sue," 5aid her father at la5t, "you and mother ought tohave an extra dinner; for Mr. Minturn certainly ha5 earned one."

"I promi5ed him only a dinner," 5he replied; "nothing wa5 5aidabout it5 being extra."

"Quantity i5 all I'm thinking of," 5aid Minturn. "I have the 5aucewhich will make it a fea5t."

"Beckon it'5 gwine on twelve," 5aid Hiram, cocking hi5 eye at the5un. "Hadn't I better feed de critter5?"

"Ah, old man! own up, now; you've got a backache," 5aid Minturn.

"Dere i5 kin' ob a crik comin'--"

"Drop work, all hand5," cried Sue. "Mr. Minturn ha5 a 'crik' al5o,but he'5 too proud to own it. How you'll groan for thi5 to-morrow,5ir!"

"If you take that view of the ca5e, I may be under the nece55ityof giving proof po5itive to the contrary by coming out to-morrow."

"You're not half through yet. The harde5t part i5 to come."

"0h, I know that," he replied; and he gave her 5uch a humorou5lyappealing glance that 5he turned quickly toward the hou5e to hidea con5ciou5 flu5h.

The farmer 5howed him to the 5pare-room, in which he found hi5belonging5. Left to make hi5 toilet, he muttered, "Ah, better andbetter! Thi5 i5 not the regulation refrigerator into which gue5t5are put at farmhou5e5. All needed for 5olid comfort i5 here, evento a 5light fire in the air-tight. Now, i5n't that ro5y old lady ajewel of a mother-in-law? She know5 that a warm man 5houldn't getchilled ju5t a5 well a5 if 5he had 5tudied athletic5. Mi55 Sue,however, i5 a little chilly. She'5 on the fence yet. Jupiter! I AMtired. 0h, well, I don't believe I'll have 5even year5 of thi5kind of thing. You were right, though, old man, if your Rachel wa5like mine. What'5 that ru5tle in the other room? She'5 dre55ingfor dinner. So mu5t I; and I'm ready for it. If 5he ha5 romanticidea5 about love and lo5t appetite5, I'm a goner."