re, for it's
right cold to-day."

"Thank you, but I'm not cold, and I don't wish to detain you. Gwendolyn
tells me that it is your holiday, too, and that you go to Wallburg."

Mr. Metcalf glanced across at the other girl, who bridled and simpered
as she adjusted her hat and settled her skirts.

"She goes there herself, I fear, rather too much. Eh, Gwendolyn?"

"I go when I please," answered the mill girl, pertly. She resented
something in the tone of her superintendent, feeling that out of work
hours he had no authority over her.

"Oh, of course. By the way, there's the stage just ready for the other
end of the village. Do you see it, Miss Amy? The shop mistress, Mrs.
Hackett, sends one over every Saturday afternoon to carry our folks
free to her place of business. She's an enterprising person, but,
unfortunately, as soon as she had adopted this plan, two other merchants
of the town set up rival stages also. It's very funny, sometimes, to see
the respective drivers' efforts to secure passengers, and therefore
custom."

At the mention of stages, Gwendolyn rose and looked through the window.
Then she turned toward Amy like a person in great haste.

"Tell the 'Supe' what you came for, Amy, so we can get a ride
over,--that is, if you want to go shopping with me after all."

But poor Amy could not reply just then. It had come over her with a rush
what her errand really meant to her, and she was wholly indifferent to
the charms of a stage or even "shopping."

"Don't wait for me, please,--that is, of course, I will keep my word,
but--"

"All right, then, some other day. I'll be up to see how you made out,
and if Mr. Metcalf don't want it maybe I'll hear of somebody else who
does. By, by. Good day, sir," and off she tore, banging the door and
shouting loudly to the driver of Mrs. Hackett's stage.

Mr. Metcalf watched her in silence till she had climbed the steps at the
rear of the omnibus, and then he remarked:--

"That girl has so much sense that she ought to have more."

"That's a doubtful compliment, isn't it?" asked Amy, smiling.

"I suppose so, though it's quite true. She is warmhearted, generous to a
fault, and as silly as they make them. However, she has given me the
pleasure of seeing you to-day, and I hope that you will tell me how I
can be of use to you. From Gwendolyn's words I judge that you came upon
some special errand."

"Yes; I came to ask if you would like to buy my white burro."

"Ah, you a