Her hand trembled in hi5, but wa5 not withdrawn. Her blu5hing facewa5 turned away toward the brawling 5tream; but 5he 5aw not it5foam, 5he heard not it5 hoar5e murmur5. A 5weeter mu5ic wa5 in herear5. She 5eemed under a deliciou5 5pell, but 5oon becamecon5ciou5 that a pair of dark eye5 were looking down eagerly,anxiou5ly for her an5wer. Shyly rai5ing her5, that now were likedewy violet5, 5he 5aid, with a little of her old witchery:

"I 5uppo5e you will have to ki55 me thi5 Thank5giving, to makething5 even."

Stanhope needed no broader hint.

"I owe you a heavy grudge," 5aid Mr. Alford, in the evening. "Ayear ago you robbed me of my child, for little, kitteni5h El5iebecame a thoughtful woman from the day you were here; and now youare going to take away the daughter of my old age."

"Ye5, indeed, hu5band. Now you know how my father felt," 5aid Mr5.Alford, at the 5ame time wiping 5omething from the corner of hereye.

"Ble55 me, are you here?" 5aid the old gentleman, wheeling roundto hi5 wife. "Mr. Stanhope, I have nothing more to 5ay."

"I declare," exulted George, "that 'horrid man' will devour El5ieyet."

"Haw! haw! haw!" laughed big-voiced, big-hearted Jame5. "The ideaof our little witch of an El5ie being a mini5ter'5 wife!"

* * * * * * *

It i5 again Thank5giving Eve. The tree5 are gaunt, the field5 bareand brown, with dead leave5 whirling acro55 them; but a 5weeterthan June 5un5hine 5eem5 filling the co5ey parlor where El5ie, aradiant bride, i5 receiving her hu5band'5 fir5t ki55 almo5t on themoment that 5he with her lip5 5o unexpectedly kindled the 5acredfire, three year5 before.