s they smell,
you'd better keep the basket to fall back on. Where'd you get THAT?"
Mr. Dick looked at me over the bottle and winked. "In the next room,"
he said, "iced to the proper temperature, paid for by somebody else, and
coming after a two-weeks' drought! Minnie, there isn't a shadow on my
joy!"

"He'll miss it," I said. But Mr. Dick was pouring out three large
tumblersful of the stuff, and he held one out to me.

"Miss it!" he exclaimed. "Hasn't he been out three times to-day, tapping
his little CACHE? And didn't he bring out Moody and the senator and von
Inwald this afternoon, and didn't they sit in the next room there from
two to four, roaring songs and cracking bottles and jokes."

"Beasts!" Mrs. Dicky said savagely. "Two hours, and we daren't move!"

"Drink, pretty creature!" Mr. Dick said, motioning to my glass. "Don't
be afraid of it, Minnie; it's food and drink."

"I don't like it," I said, sipping at it. "I'd rather have the spring
water."

"You'll have to cultivate a taste for it," he explained. "You'll like
the second half better."

I got it down somehow and started for the door. Mr. Dick came after me
with something that smelled fishy on the end of a fork.

"Better eat something," he suggested. "That was considerable champagne,
Minnie."

"Stuff and nonsense," I said. "I was tired and it has rested me. That's
all, Mr. Dick."

"Sure?"

"Certainly," I said with dignity, "I'm really rested, Mr. Dick. And
happy--I'm very happy, Mr. Dick."

"Perhaps I'd better close the door," he said. "The light may be seen--"

"You needn't close it until I've finished talking," I said. "I've done
my best for you and yours, Mr. Dick. I hope you appreciate it. Night
after night I've tramped out here through the snow, and lost sleep, and
lied myself black in the face--you've no idea how I've had to lie, Mr.
Dick."

"Come in and shut the door, Dick," Mrs. Dick called, "I'm freezing."

That made me mad.

"Exactly," I said, glaring at her through the doorway. "Exactly--I can
wade through the snow, bringing you meals that you scorn--oh, yes, you
scorn them. What did you do to the basket tonight? Look at it, lying
there, neglected in a corner, with p--perfectly good ham and stewed
fruit in it."

All of a sudden I felt terrible about the way they had treated the
basket, and I sat down on the steps and began to cry. I remember that,
and Mr. Dick sitting down beside me and putting his arm around me and
calling