told me to-day that Annie got a letter from Allan
yesterday and he said Donald Neil was jist gone crazy over a city lady,
a real high-flier, too, rich as a Jew, mind you; she has a carriage and
she calls at the college every afternoon for my gentleman Donald and
drives him home, coachman and footman and everything. Now wouldn't
that kill you? I guess nobody in Glenoro'll be good enough for Don,
now; he'll be gittin' stuck up, like all the other folks that take to
book-learnin'"--she cast a meaning glance at Sarah, who smiled good
naturedly. She rather enjoyed being considered proud of her
educational attainments.

"Well, what do you think o' your old beau now, Jessie?" continued the
visitor.

Jessie's cheeks were very pink, but she returned Miss Cotton's gaze
steadily. "Why, I guess he's got a right to do anything he likes," she
said indifferently.

"Well I should hope so, specially when you've been carryin' on with the
minister all fall. I guess Don thought two could play at that game."
She looked sharply at the girl, in some doubt. She really hoped she
did not care, for 'Liza Cotton's heart was a kindly one, and she never
told her tales from malice, but from a sheer inability to be quiet.
"You'd better look out you don't lose both your beaux," she added.
"You and the minister don't seem so chummy since Christmas. Did you
have a tiff?"

Jessie's eyes sparkled, and the garrulous visitor knew she had gone too
far. "I think that's my affair," said the girl quietly.

Miss Cotton laughed easily. "There now, you needn't get mad over it.
Goodness me, I always thought you were the good-tempered one o' the
family; you'll soon be as bad as Sarah for firin' up."

Sarah flew to defend herself, and incidentally to establish more firmly
her reputation as the bad-tempered member of the household, and in the
war of words which ensued Jessie's embarrassment was forgotten. Mrs.
Hamilton sat and stitched placidly through the altercation, breaking in
at last to ask if Mrs. Fraser had said Duncan Polite could eat
anything. There was some chicken broth in the house she could send up
with Babbie when she came home from school.

Jessie slipped away, when the conversation turned from her affairs and
crept upstairs. So this was the reason of Don's silence. Someone else
had her place in his heart. She realised with a sharp pang that it was
her own fault. She had trifled with his love, because the minister's
attentions fla