ings of familiar talk. At the end of the meal, Letty
took a parcel from the basket, something wrapped in a very fine white
napkin. She flushed a little, unrolling it, and her eyes deepened.

"What's all this?" asked David, sniffing the air. "Fruit-cake?"

Letty nodded without looking at him; there was a telltale quivering in
her face. She divided the cake carefully, and gave her husband half.
David had lain back on a piny bank; and as he ate, his eyes followed the
treetops, swaying a little now in a rhythmic wind. But Letty ate her
piece as if it were sacramental bread. She put out her hand to him, and
he stroked the short, faithful fingers, and then held them close. He
smiled at her; and for a moment he mused again over that starry light in
her eyes. Then his lids fell, and he had a little nap, while Letty sat
and dreamed back over the hours, a year and more ago, when her mother's
house smelled of spices, and this cake was baked for her wedding day.

When they went home again, side by side, the fencing was all done, and
David had an after-consciousness of happy playtime. He carried the
basket, with his axe, and Letty, like an untired little dog, took brief
excursions of discovery here and there, and came back to his side with
her weedy treasures. Once--was it something in the air?--he called to
her:--

"Say, Letty, wa'n't it about this kind o' weather the day we were
married?"

But Letty gave a little cry, and pointed out a frail white butterfly on
a mullein leaf. "See there, David! how cold he looks! I'd like to take
him along. He'll freeze to-night." David forgot his question, and she
was glad. Some inner voice was at her heart, warning her to leave the
day unspoiled. Her joy lay in remembering; it seemed a small thing to
her that he should forget.

"We've had a real good time," he said, as he gave her the basket at the
kitchen door. "Now, as soon as thrashin' 's done, we'll go to Star
Pond."

After supper they covered up the squashes, for fear of a frost; and then
they stood for a moment in the field, and looked at the harvest moon,
risen in a great effrontery of splendor.

"Letty," asked David suddenly, "shouldn't you like to put on your little
ring? It's right here in my pocket."

"No! no!" said Letty hastily. "I never want to set eyes on it again."

"I guess I'll get you another one 't you could wear. I looked t' other
day when I went to market; but there was so many I didn't das't to make
a choice un