-still,
and there's no getting on at all? and then at one of your dear droll
speeches the sunshine comes out again, and we are all as right as
possible."

"Don't talk nonsense," was Phillis's blunt answer; but she could not
help being pleased at the compliment. She looked up archly at Nan, as
the mass of soft white drapery lay between them; and then they both
broke into a laugh, just as two shadows seemed to glide past the
window, and a moment afterwards the house-bell sounded.
"Visitors!--oh, Nan!" And Phillis glanced down at the neat bib apron
that she wore over her cambric dress.

"Don't be afraid; Dorothy will have too much sense to admit them,"
returned Nan, quite indifferently, as she went up a step higher to
hang up the curtain.

Phillis was still holding it; but her manner was not quite so well
assured. She thought she heard Dulce's voice in confabulation with the
stranger. A moment afterwards Dulce came briskly into the room.

"Nan, Mr. Drummond and his sister have kindly called to see us. We are
not in order, of course. Oh, dear!" as Nan looked down on them with
startled eyes, not venturing to descend from her perch. "I ought not
to have brought them in here," looking half mischievously and half
guiltily at the young clergyman, who stood hat in hand on the
threshold.

"It is I who ought not to have intruded," he began, in a perfect agony
of embarrassment, blushing over his face like a girl as Nan looked
down at him in much dignity, but Mattie, who was behind him, pushed
forward in her usual bustling way.

"Oh, Miss Challoner, it is too bad! I told Archie that we ought not to
come too soon----" but Phillis stopped her with an outstretched hand
of welcome.

"What is too bad? I call it very kind and friendly of you both: one
hardly expected to find such good neighbors. Nan, if that curtain is
finished I think you had better come down. Take care; those steps are
rickety: perhaps Mr. Drummond will help you."

"Let me do the other ones for you. I don't think those steps are
safe!" exclaimed Archie, with sudden inspiration.

No one at home would have believed such a thing of him. Mattie's eyes
grew quite round and fixed with astonishment at the sight. He had not
even shaken hands with Nan, yet there he was, mounted in her place,
slipping in the hooks with dexterous hands, while Nan quietly held up
the curtain.

Months afterwards the scene came back on Archibald Drummond with a
curious thrill half of pa