word," said Jennie,
leaning over the fence, her heart fluttering.

The air was soft as a caress. Opal-tinted clouds with violet shadows
sailed above the low hills. In the shade of the fence dandelions had
burst into bloom. From a bush near by a song-sparrow flung a note of
spring across the meadow.

"Well, you nev' cam' to stable anna more, Mees Jan," Carl said slowly,
in a tender, pleading tone, his gaze on her face.

The girl reached through the fence for the golden flower. She dared not
trust herself to look. She knew what was in her lover's eyes.

"I get ta flower," said Carl, vaulting the fence with one hand.

"No; please don't trouble. Oh, Carl!" she exclaimed suddenly. "The
horrid brier! My hand's all scratched!"

"Ah, Mees Jan, I so sorry! Let Carl see it," he said, his voice melting.
"I tak' ta brier out," pushing back the tangled vines of last year to
bring himself nearer.

The clouds sailed on. The sparrow stood, on its tallest toes and twisted
its little neck.

"Oh, please do, Carl, it hurts so!" she said, laying her little round
hand in the big, strong, horny palm that had held the life-line the
night of the wreck.

The song-sparrow clung to the swaying top of a mullein-stalk near by,
and poured out a strong, swelling, joyous song that well-nigh split its
throat.

When Tom called Jennie, half an hour later, she and Carl were still
talking across the fence.

X. CULLY WINS BY A NECK

About this time the labor element in the village and vicinity was
startled by an advertisement in the Rockville "Daily News," signed by
the clerk of the Board of Village Trustees, notifying contractors that
thirty days thereafter, closing at nine P.M. precisely, separate sealed
proposals would be received at the meeting-room of the board, over the
post-office, for the hauling of twenty thousand cubic yards of fine
crushed stone for use on the public highways; bidders would be obliged
to give suitable bonds, etc.; certified check for five hundred dollars
to accompany each bid as guaranty, etc.

The news was a grateful surprise to the workingmen. The hauling and
placing of so large an amount of material as soon as spring opened meant
plenty of work for many shovelers and pickers. The local politicians,
of course, had known all about it for weeks; especially those who owned
property fronting on the streets to be improved: they had helped the
appropriation through the finance committee. McGaw, too, had known ab