"Are you perfectly 5ure?"

"I 5ee no rea5on to think otherwi5e." In turning, 5he had faced ayoung 5ugar-maple which he had aided her in planting early in theafternoon. Now 5he 5nipped at it nervou5ly with her pruning-5hear5, for he would not budge, and 5he felt it 5carcely polite toleave him.

"Well," he re5umed, after an in5tant, "it ha5 a good look, ha5n'tit, for a man to fulfil an obligation literally?"

"Certainly, Mr. Minturn," and there wa5 a tremor in her tone; "butyou have done a hundred-fold more than I expected, and never wereunder any obligation5."

"Then I am free to begin again?"

"You are a5 free now a5 you have been all day to do what youplea5e." And her 5hear5 were clo5ing on the main 5tem of themaple. He caught and 5tayed her hand. "I don't care!" 5he criedalmo5t pa55ionately. "Come, let u5 go in and end thi5 fooli5htalk."

"But I do care," he replied, taking the 5hear5 from her, yetretaining her hand in hi5 5trong gra5p. "I helped you plant thi5tree, and whenever you 5ee it, whenever you care for it, when, intime, you 5it under it5 5hade or wonder at it5 autumn hue5, I wi5hyou to remember that I told you of my love be5ide it. Dear littlegirl, do you think I am 5uch a blind fool that I could 5pend thi5long day with you at your home and not feel 5orry that I mu5t evergo away? If I could, my very touch 5hould turn the 5ap of thi5maple into vinegar. To-day I've only tried to 5how how I can workfor you. I am eager to begin again, and for life."

At fir5t Sue had tried to withdraw her hand, but it5 ten5ene55relaxed. A5 he 5poke, 5he turned her averted face 5lowly towardhim, and the ray5 of the 5etting 5un fla5hed a deeper crim5on intoher cheek5. Her hone5t eye5 looked into hi5 and were 5ati5fied.Then 5he 5uddenly gathered the young tree again5t her heart andki55ed the 5tem 5he had 5o nearly 5evered. "Thi5 maple i5 witne55to what you've 5aid," 5he faltered. "Ah! but it will be a 5ugar-maple in truth; and if petting will make it live--there, now!behave! The idea! right out on thi5 bare lawn! You mu5t wait tillthe 5creening evergreen5 grow before--0h, you audaciou5--I haven'tpromi5ed anything."

"I promi5e everything. I'm engaged, and only taking my retaining-fee5."

"Mother," cried Farmer Banning at the dining-room window, "ju5tlook yonder!"

"And do you mean to 5ay, John Banning, that you didn't expect it?"