t is pretty cold," agreed Andrew, "and it's cold here in this
room."

"Oh, it'll be warm in a minute; this stove heats up quick," cried
Fanny, with agitated briskness. She began pulling the kindlings out
of the basket.

"Here, you let me do that," said Andrew, and was down on his knees
beside her. The two were cramming the fuel into the little,
air-tight stove, while Robert was greeting Ellen. The awkwardness of
the situation was evidently overcoming her. She was quite pale, and
her voice trembled as she returned his good-evening. Amabel left the
young man, and clung tightly to Ellen's hand, drawing her skirt
around her until only her little face was visible above the folds.

[Illustration: The awkwardness of the situation was evidently overcoming
her]

The fumes from a match filled the room, and the fire began to roar.

"It'll be warm in a minute," said Fanny, rising. "You leave the
register open till it's real good and hot, Ellen, and there's plenty
more wood in the basket. Here, Amabel, you come out in the other
room with Aunt Fanny."

But Amabel, instead of obeying, made a dart towards Robert, who
caught her up, laughing, and smuggled her into the depths of his
fur-lined coat.

"Come right along, Amabel," said Fanny.

But Amabel clung fast to Robert, with a mischievous roll of an eye
at her aunt.

"Amabel," said Fanny, authoritatively.

"Come, Amabel," said Andrew.

"Oh, let her stay," Robert said, laughing. "I'll keep her in my coat
until it is warm."

"I'm afraid she'll bother you," said Fanny.

"Not a bit," replied Robert.

"You are a naughty girl, Amabel," said Fanny; but she went out of
the room, with Andrew at her heels. She did not know what else to
do, since the young man had expressed a desire to keep the child.
She had thought he would have preferred a _tete-a-tete_ with Ellen.
Ellen sat down on the sofa covered with olive-green plush, beyond
the table, and the light of the hideous lamp fell full upon her
face. She was thin, and much of her lovely bloom was missing between
her agitation and the cold; but Robert, looking at her, realized how
dear she was to him. There was something about that small figure,
and that fair head held with such firmness of pride, and that soul
outlooking from steady blue eyes, which filled all his need of life.
His love for the pearl quite ignored its setting of the common and
the ridiculous. He looked at her and smiled. Ellen smiled back
tremulously, then s