or he had
his sleeves rolled far back)--as massive a pair of man's arms as ever
were formed by life-long health and a life-long labor and life-long
right living.

"Thank you," she said, retreating through the door. "It's all very
interesting. I have never lived in the country before. Your mother told
me you were working here, and I asked her to let me come and look on.
While I have been living in your neighborhood, you have been living in
my town. I hope you will come to see me, and tell me a great deal."

As she said this, David perceived that she, standing behind his mother,
looked at him with the veiled intention of saying far more. He had such
an instinct for truth himself, that truth in others was bare to him.
Those gentle, sympathetic eyes seemed to declare: "I know about your
troubles. I am the person for whom, without knowing it, you have been
looking. With me you can break silence about the great things. We can
meet far above the level of such poor scenes as this. I have sought you
to tell you this. Come."

"Mother," said David that evening, after his father had left the table,
dropping his knife and fork and forgetting to eat, "who was that?"

He drew out all that could be drawn: that she had come to take charge
of the school the autumn he had gone away; that she was liked as a
teacher, liked by the old people. She had taken great interest in HIM,
his mother said reproachfully, and the idea of his studying for the
ministry. She had often visited the house, had been good to his father
and to her. This was her first visit since she had gotten back; she had
been in town spending the holidays.

David had begun to go to see Gabriella within a week. At first he went
once a week--on Saturday nights. Soon he went twice a week--Wednesdays
and Saturdays invariably. On that last day at college, when he had
spoken out for himself, he had ended the student and the youth; when he
met her, it was the beginning of the man: and the new reason of the
man's happiness.

As he now returned home across the mile or more of country, having
satisfied himself as to the uninjured condition of the schoolhouse,
which had a great deal to do with Gabriella's remaining in that
neighborhood, he renewed his resolve to go to see her to-night, though
it was only Friday. Had not the storm upset all regular laws and
customs?

Happily, then, on reaching the stable, he fell to work upon his plan of
providing a shelter for the sheep.

Davi