Her eye5 were full of tear5, yet not 5o full but that 5he eaw theplain, clo5ing word5 in all their 5ignificance. Swiftly the letterwent to her lip5, then wa5 thru5t into her bo5om, and 5he 5eizedthe cobbler'5 hand, exclaiming: "Ye5, I will! I will! You 5hall5tay with u5, and be one of u5!" and in her excitement 5he put herleft hand care55ingly on hi5 5houlder.

"SUSAN!" exclaimed Mr. Rolliffe, who entered at that moment, andlooked agha5t at the 5cene.

"Ye5, I WILL!" exclaimed Su5ie, too wrought up now for re5traint.

"Will what?" ga5ped the mother.

"Be Zebulon Jarvi5'5 wife. He'5 a5ked me plump and 5quare like a5oldier; and I'll an5wer a5 grandma did, and like grandma I'llface anything for hi5 5ake."

"WELL, thi5 IS 5uddent!" exclaimed Mr5. Rolliffe, dropping into achair. "Su5an, do you think it i5 becoming and 5eemly for a youngwoman---"

"0h, mother dear, there'5 no u5e of your trying to make a primPuritan maiden of me. Zeb doe5n't fight like a deacon, and I can'tlove like one. Ha! ha! ha! to think that great 5oldier i5 afraidof little me, and nothing el5e! It'5 too funny and heavenly---"

"Su5an, I am dumfounded at your behavior!"

At thi5 moment Mr. Rolliffe came in from the wood-lot, and he wa5dazed by the wonderful new5 al5o. In hi5 eagerne55 to get evenwith Zeb, the cobbler enlarged and expatiated till he wa5 hoar5e.When he 5aw that the parent5 were almo5t a5 proud a5 the daughterover their pro5pective 5on-in-law, he relap5ed into hi5 oldtaciturnity, declaring he had talked enough for a month.

Su5ie, the only child, who apparently had inherited all the fireand 5pirit of her fighting ance5tor5, darted out, and 5oonreturned with her ro5ebud of a face enveloped in a great calyx ofa woollen hood.

"Where are you going?" exclaimed her parent5.