ak of being made such an intruder.

The man stood and listened to the music of her voice. As she began to
speak with so much ease, he was smitten with a consciousness of his
personal appearance, with the four awkward legs dangling down in front
of him. In hope of making a more manly figure before her, he set the
lamb down, feasting his eyes meanwhile upon the dainty repast and the
two white napkins spread upon the ground. And when he stood up again,
no one knew less than he whether he had set the lamb on its legs or its
back or stood it on its head. It now occurred to him that he had not
removed his hat. He did so immediately.

"And as I was coming across the range," she continued, "I saw your
place. I had been so tired and hungry that I had lost my appetite. A
person does, you know. But I was just dying for a cup of hot coffee.
So I decided to use your conveniences. And I intended to leave your
fire-hole burning for you--"

"Oh, that's all right. I 'm glad you did."

She gave a sudden little scream. This was so unexpected that the man,
whose nerves were not easily touched, drew himself up straighter and
stared at her in amazement.

"Oo-o-o-o-o!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together and fixing her
gaze upon the supper.

It was the lamb again. It was standing right in the middle of the
feast, its legs spread as usual and one foot deep in the sugar-bowl.
The lamb was waiting. It was waiting till the spirit should move it to
the next idiotic thing to do; and it would no doubt have achieved it
had not the man taken quick action. He seized upon the lamb
precipitately and snatched it away; then he stood with one hand around
its middle and its long legs hanging down, with the four hoofs together.

"Oh, is n't that a _sw-e-e-et_ little lamb!" she exclaimed,
delightedly. "Oh, _is n't_ he a darling!"

"Well--yes," said the man, holding it out and regarding it critically.
"It was certainly trying to be a sweet little lamb."

She blushed. She had not seen the lamb all by himself, before; and
these were the first free and natural words she had spoken. After this
spontaneous outburst she proceeded more guardedly.

"And after the coffee was on," she continued, "I thought it would be
such a shame for a man to have to get his own supper after I had left,
with so _much_ to eat. So I intended to leave your supper for you.
That is in case you did n't come along when I--I--You see I did n't
expect you hom