dicule to friendship, and it seemed to be
prophetic of other victories.

The time seemed very short that forenoon. Once or twice Nettie came out
to bring some news about the cooking.

"Say, I'm making an apple pie. I'm a dandy on pies and cakes."

"I guess they would be 'pizen' cakes."

She threw an imaginary club at him.

"Well, if that ain't the sickest old joke! You'll go without any pie if
you get off such a thing again."

But as dinner-time drew on he felt more and more unwilling to go into
the kitchen.

He heard her whistle, but he remained at the saw-horse. It would do in
the country, but not here. He had no right to go in there and eat.

There was a note of impatience in her voice when she looked over the
fence and said, "Why don't you come?"

"I dassant!"

"Oh, bother! What y' 'fraid of?"

"What business have I got to eat your dinner? This aint your
wood-pile."

"Say, if you don't come in I'll--I dunno what!"

"Bring it out here, it's warm."

"I won't do it; you've got to come in; the old man's gone up town and
mother won't throw you out. There isn't anybody in the kitchen. Come on
now," she pleaded.

Bradley followed her into the house, feeling a good deal like a very
large dog, very hungry, who had followed a child's invitation into the
parlor, and felt out of place.

He sat down by the fire, and silently ate what she placed before him,
while she chattered away in high glee. When Mrs. Russell came in,
Nettie did not take the trouble to introduce him to her mother, who
moved about the room in a wordless way, smiling a little about the
eyes. She was entirely subject to her daughter. She heard them
discussing lessons and concluded they were classmates.

Bradley went back to his wood-sawing and soon finished the job. As he
shouldered his saw and saw-buck, Nettie came out and peered over the
fence again.

"Say, goin' to attend the social Monday?"

"Guess not. I ain't much on such things."

"It's lots o' fun; we spin the platter and all kinds o' things. I'm
goin'," she looked archly inviting.

Bradley colored. He was not astute, but hints like this were not far
from kicks. He looked down at his saw as he said, "I guess I won't go,
I've got to study."

"Well, good-by," she said without mortification. She was so much of a
child yet that she could be jilted without keen pain. "See y' Monday,"
she said as she ran into the house.

Someway Bradley's life was lightened by that day's experie