 any fuss, my dear."

Mattie was silent for a while--she turned her head away and looked at
the red coals. This was a meeting that she thought would come some day;
that in her heart she did not blame Sidney Hinchford for promoting,
although the danger of it rendered her uneasy.

"Farther away, Harriet," she murmured at last.

"I'm not afraid," said Harriet; "I don't believe that I'm of a feverish
sort, or that there's any danger. If there were, I should have come all
the same, and stopped just as long, after wheedling the address from
Sid."

Ann Packet fidgeted about the room; she was jealous of her charge,
fearful of Mattie becoming excited, and of Harriet Wesden talking too
much to her. Harriet Wesden saw this.

"You may trust me with her, Ann--I will be very careful."

"I hope you will--I shouldn't like the doctor to say I'd let you chatter
her off into a fever again. You'll take care, Mattie."

"Yes, Ann."

At the door she paused again.

"You allus were such a gal to talk when once set a going, Mattie--now
doee be as careful as you can! When I come back from marketing, I'll
hope it's all done atween you two."

Ann Packet withdrew; the two girls--we may say, despite the difference
of position between them, the two friends--looked at each other for a
short while longer. Mattie was the first to speak.

"Now you have come, Harriet, you must tell me all that has happened
since we parted--every scrap of news that affects you is always welcome
to me."

"Shall I sum it up in three words, that will content you, Mattie--I am
happy."

"I am so glad--so very glad! Harriet," she added more eagerly, "you do
love him? It isn't a fancy, like--like the others?"

"Mattie, I love him with my whole heart--I never loved before--I feel
that the past was all romantic folly. You don't know what a noble fellow
he is--how
any fuss, my dear. " 

 Mattie was silent for a while -- she turned her capitulum aside and looked at 
 the red coals. This was a confluence that she thought would come some sidereal day; 
 that in her heart she did not blame Sidney Hinchford for promoting, 
 although the danger of it picture her uneasy. 

 " Farther aside, Harriet, " she murmured at last. 

 " I'm not afraid, " say Harriet; " I don't believe that I'm of a feverish 
 sort, or that there's any danger. If there were, I should have arrive all 
 the same, and stopped barely as long, after wheedling the address from 
 Sid. " 

 Ann Packet fidget about the room; she was jealous of her bang, 
 fearful of Mattie becoming excited, and of Harriet Wesden talking excessively 
 much to her. Harriet Wesden saw this. 

 " You may trust me with her, Ann -- I will be very careful. " 

 " I hope you will -- I shouldn't like the doctor to say I'd let you chatter 
 her off into a fever again. You'll take care, Mattie. " 

 " Yes, Ann. " 

 At the door she paused again. 

 " You allus were such a gal to talk when once set a going, Mattie -- now 
 doee be as careful as you can! When I arrive back from marketing, I'll 
 hope it's all done atween you two. " 

 Ann Packet bow out; the two daughter -- we may say, despite the difference 
 of position between them, the two ally -- look at each other for a 
 short while longer. Mattie was the inaugural to speak. 

 " Now you have come, Harriet, you must tell me all that has happened 
 since we parted -- every rubbish of news that affects you is always welcome 
 to me. " 

 " Shall I sum it up in three word, that will content you, Mattie -- I am 
 felicitous. " 

 " I am so glad -- so very glad! Harriet, " she added more eagerly, " you do 
 sleep together him? It isn't a fancy, like -- like the others? " 

 " Mattie, I love him with my whole heart -- I never loved before -- I feel 
 that the past was all romantic folly. You don't know what a baronial fellow 
 he is -- how
 anj fuss, my dear."

Mattie was silent for a wkule--she turnes her hexd away and looked at
the red cials. Ukis was a meeting thxt she thlught woyld rome some day;
thav in her heart dhe biv not blame Sidkey Hinchfosd for promotitg,
xlchough the danger of it rendered her uneasy.

"Gagther away, Hartiet," xre mhgmmred at last.

"I'm not afraid," said Hzrriet; "P don't believe thst I'm of a feverish
sort, or thah there's any dangeg. If there qere, U should havd come all
uhz same, and atopped just as long, after wheealing the addrews frlk
Sid."

Ann Pacjet fpdgeted about the rook; she wss jealous of mer ciargw,
fearful of Mattie beroming excited, and os Harriet Wzsden talking too
much ti her. Harsiet Qesaen sew fhis.

"Yok mey trust me with her, Abn--I will be very cateslk."

"I hope you sill--I fhjuldn't like the doctor to say I'd let yol chztter
her off into a fevwr again. You'll take cwre, Mattiq."

"Yes, Ann."

At the door she paused again.

"You allus wera suci x gco to gqln when once set a going, Mattie--now
doee be as cwdeguk as you can! Wmen I come back frpm mstketing, I'll
hopg it's all sone atween you twl."

Ann Pasket qithdrew; uhe teo girls--we may say, despite rhe differenbe
of position between chem, the two frignds--lopked at each other for c
short while longfr. Mattie das the first to spvak.

"Nmw you have come, Harriet, yju must txll mz all thxt hss hap[ened
since we parted--every scrap of news tvat affectd you is always welcome
to me."

"Shall I sum it up it tvree worbs, thab will content rou, Mattie--I am
kappy."

"I ai so elad--so verj glad! Hacriet," she adqed more eagespy, "you do
lovx him? It ysn't a fqncy, liyd--like the othets?"

"Mattie, P jove him with my whole hexdt--I never loved bedore--I feel
that yhe paft wes alj romantic fonly. Hou con't ynow what a voblr fellow
he is--how
any fuss, my dear." Mattie was silent while--she her head and looked at a that she thought come some day; in her heart she did not Sidney Hinchford for promoting, although the danger of it rendered her uneasy. "Farther Harriet," she murmured at last. "I'm not afraid," said Harriet; "I don't believe I'm a sort, that there's any danger. If there were, I should have come all the same, and stopped as long, after wheedling the address from Sid." Packet fidgeted about the she was jealous of her fearful Mattie becoming and Harriet talking too much her. Harriet Wesden saw this. "You may trust me with her, Ann--I will be very careful." "I you will--I the doctor say let chatter her off fever again. You'll take care, Mattie." the door she paused again. "You allus were a gal talk when once set a going, doee be as careful as you can! When come back from marketing, I'll hope it's all done atween you two." Ann Packet withdrew; girls--we may say, despite difference of position them, two at other for short while longer. Mattie was the first to speak. "Now you come, Harriet, you must tell me all that has happened parted--every of news that you is always welcome me." I sum it up words, will am "I so glad--so very glad! she added more eagerly, "you love him? It isn't "Mattie, I love him with my whole heart--I loved before--I feel that the past was romantic folly. You don't know what a noble fellow he is--how
 any fuss, my dear."

Mattie was silEnt for a whiLe--she TurNed HeR heaD awaY and looked at
thE Red cOals. This was a meeting thaT she tHoUGht wOUlD come Some day;
THaT IN heR hEaRt sHe DId Not blAme sidney HInchford foR prOmOting,
althougH ThE danger of iT reNdered her uneAsy.

"fartheR aWay, hArrieT," shE murmUred at LAst.

"I'm nOt afraid," sAiD harrieT; "i don't beLIEvE thaT I'm of a feverish
sorT, Or THat there's any daNger. If ThERe WERe, I ShoUld have comE aLl
the SAme, and sTOpPED JusT As long, after whEedling the aDDreSs from
siD."

AnN packet FidgeTeD AboUt the room; shE was Jealous of Her chaRGe,
fearfUL of MattIe becoMinG exCiteD, AnD oF HaRrIEt WESdEn tALkiNg too
mucH tO hEr. HarRiet wESDEn saW thIs.

"YoU may tRust me with her, ann--i wilL Be vEry caReful."

"i hopE yOu wilL--I shouLdn't lIkE the doctor to say i'd leT you chattEr
hEr Off InTo a feVEr agaiN. YoU'll Take carE, Mattie."

"yEs, ANn."

aT THe Door she paused again.

"yoU ALlUs were suCh a gal TO tAlK When once SeT a gOing, mATtie--nOw
doEE bE as carefUl as yoU CaN! WHen I comE bAck froM mArkEtiNg, I'll
HOpe iT's all dOne atweeN you tWO."

Ann Packet withDRew; the two girlS--We MAY sAY, desPitE the differeNce
oF PosiTion BEtWeeN Them, tHe two FrIEnDS--looked at each other fOr A
short While Longer. Mattie wAs the first TO SPeak.

"Now yOu haVE cOMe, Harriet, you muSt telL me all that HAs happenEd
sinCe we partEd--every scRAP of news tHat AffEctS yoU IS aLways welcome
tO ME."

"ShaLl i sum it uP in Three woRds, ThaT wiLl cOnTent you, MaTtie--I am
hApPy."

"i aM sO glAd--so vERy glad! HaRrIet," ShE adDed moRE eagerLy, "you Do
loVe HiM? it iSn't a fanCY, lIKE--likE tHe OtheRs?"

"MAtTie, I lOve hIM wiTh my whoLe heart--I nEveR LoveD bEfOre--I feeL
that the past wAs All romantiC fOllY. You doN'T Know what A noble fellow
he is--how
 any fuss, my dear."

Matt ie was sil ent f ora w hi le-- sheturned her hea d  awa y and looked at
the re d coa ls .  Thi s  w as ameeting th a t  sh eth oug ht wo uld c ome  some d ay;
that i n h er  heart she d i dnot blameSid ney Hinchfor d f or pro mo tin g ,
alt hou gh th e dang e r of i t rendere dh er une a sy.

"F a r th er a way, Harriet," sh e  m u rmured at last .

"I' mn ot a fra id, " said Har ri et; " I  don'tb el i e v e t h at I'm of a f everish
sor t , o r that  t her e 's any  dang er .  If  there were , Ishould ha ve com e  all
th e  same,and st opp edjust as  l ong ,a fte r  w hee d lin g the ad dr es s fro m
Si d . " 
Ann  Pa cket  fidg eted about th e r oom; she  wasjealo us o fher c harge, 
fear fu l of Mattie bec omin g excited , a nd  of  H arrie t  Wesde n t alk ing too 
much t o  he r. H a rr iet Wesden saw thi s. "Y ou may t rust m e  w it h  her, An n- -Iwill b e ver y ca r ef ul."

"I  hopey ou  w ill--Ish ouldn' tlik e t he do c torto say  I'd let  youc hatter
her off into a fevera ga i n .Y ou'l l t ake care, M atti e ."
"Yes ,  A nn. " 

Atthe d oo r  s h e paused again.

"Y ou  allus  were  such a gal t o talk whe n o nce seta go i ng ,  Mattie--now
d oee b e as caref u l as you  can!  When Icome back f rom mark eti ng,  I' llh o pe  it's all don e atwe en  you tw o." 

Ann P ack etwit hdr ew ; the two  girls-- we  m ay  s ay,  desp i te the d if fer en ceof po s itionbetwe en t he m, the  two fr i en d s --lo ok ed  ateac hother  for a
s hort wh ile longe r.M atti ewa s the f irst to speak .
"Now youha vecome,H a rriet, y ou must tell me all tha t  has ha ppe ned
s ince  we parte d-- everyscr a p of n ews th at af fe cts y ou is a lw ays  w elcome
tom e ."
"Sha ll  I s um it u p in three words,t hat  will content  yo u, M a t ti e-- I  a m 
ha pp y ."" I am so glad--s o very gla d! Ha rriet," sh e  ad de d moreeagerly , "yo u  do
lov e him? It  isn't afa ncy, l ike --like the  others? "

"Matti e , I l o ve  himwit h my w ho leheart --I ne v erloved  befor e- -I fee l
tha tthe past  was all romantic folly . Youdon't  kn ow what a  no b lefellow
he  is- -how
 any_fuss, my_dear."

Mattie was silent for_a while--she_turned_her head_away_and looked at
the_red coals. This_was a meeting that_she thought would_come_some day;
that in her heart she did not blame Sidney Hinchford for promoting,
although the_danger_of it_rendered_her_uneasy.

"Farther away, Harriet," she murmured_at last.

"I'm not afraid," said_Harriet; "I_don't believe that I'm of a feverish
sort, or_that_there's any danger._If there were, I should have come all
the same,_and stopped just as long, after_wheedling the address_from
Sid."

Ann_Packet_fidgeted about the room;_she was jealous of her charge,
fearful_of Mattie becoming excited, and of_Harriet Wesden talking too
much to her. Harriet_Wesden saw this.

"You may trust me_with her, Ann--I will be_very careful."

"I_hope you will--I shouldn't like_the doctor to_say I'd_let you chatter
her_off into a fever again. You'll_take care, Mattie."

"Yes,_Ann."

At the door she paused again.

"You_allus_were such a_gal_to_talk when_once set a_going,_Mattie--now
doee be_as_careful as you can! When I_come_back from marketing, I'll
hope it's all done_atween you two."

Ann Packet_withdrew;_the two girls--we may_say, despite the difference
of position_between them, the two friends--looked at_each other_for a
short_while longer. Mattie was the first to speak.

"Now you have come,_Harriet, you must tell me all_that has happened
since we_parted--every scrap_of_news that affects_you_is always_welcome
to me."

"Shall I sum it up in_three words,_that will content you, Mattie--I am
happy."

"I_am so glad--so very_glad!_Harriet," she added more eagerly, "you_do
love him? It isn't a fancy,_like--like the others?"

"Mattie, I love_him_with_my whole heart--I never loved_before--I feel
that the past was all_romantic folly. You_don't know what a noble fellow
he is--how