.

"Yes, I was timid. I heard queer noises," said Myrtle, "but I sha'n't
be alone any more. Christopher's niece wrote me she was coming to make
a visit. She has been teaching school, and she lost her school. I rather
guess Ellen is as uncommon for a girl as Christopher is for a man.
Anyway, she's lost her school, and her brother's married, and she don't
want to go there. Besides, they live in Boston, and Ellen, she says
she can't bear the city in spring and summer. She wrote she'd saved a
little, and she'd pay her board, but I sha'n't touch a dollar of her
little savings, and neither would Christopher want me to. He's always
thought a sight of Ellen, though he's never seen much of her. As for me,
I was so glad when her letter came I didn't know what to do. Christopher
will be glad. I suppose you'll be going up there to see him off and on."
Myrtle spoke a bit wistfully, and Stephen did not tell her he had been
urged to come often.

"Yes, off and on," he replied.

"If you will just let me know when you are going, I will see that you
have something to take to him--some bread and pies."

"He has some chickens there," said Stephen.

"Has he got a coop for them?"

"Yes, he had one rigged up. He will have plenty of eggs, and he carried
up bacon and corn meal and tea and coffee."

"I am glad of that," said Myrtle. She spoke with a quiet dignity, but
her face never lost its expression of bewilderment and resignation.

The next week Stephen Wheaton carried Myrtle's bread and pies to
Christopher on his mountainside. He drove Christopher's gray horse
harnessed in his old buggy, and realized that he himself was getting
much pleasure out of the other man's idiosyncrasy. The morning was
beautiful, and Stephen carried in his mind a peculiar new beauty,
besides. Ellen, Christopher's niece, had arrived the night before, and,
early as it was, she had been astir when he reached the Dodd house. She
had opened the door for him, and she was a goodly sight: a tall girl,
shaped like a boy, with a fearless face of great beauty crowned with
compact gold braids and lit by unswerving blue eyes. Ellen had a square,
determined chin and a brow of high resolve.

"Good morning," said she, and as she spoke she evidently rated Stephen
and approved, for she smiled genially. "I am Mr. Dodd's niece," said
she. "You are the minister?"

"Yes."

"And you have come for the things aunt is to send him?"

"Yes."

"Aunt said you were to drive uncle'