, with the
shawl flapping, thanking heaven I was a single woman, and about ready
to go back and tell Mr. Moody what I thought of him when I looked toward
the spring-house.

At first I thought it was afire, then I saw that the light was coming
from the windows. Somebody was inside, with a big fire and all the
lights going.

I'd had tramps sleep all night in the spring-house before, and once they
left a card by the spring: "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to
drink!" So I started out through the snow on a half run. By the bridge
over Hope Springs Creek I slipped and fell, and I heard the pitcher
smash to bits on the ice below. But as soon as I could move I went on
again. That spring-house had been my home for a good many years, and the
tramp didn't live who could spend the night there if I knew it.

I realized then that I should have taken the poker. I went over
cautiously to one of the windows, wading in deep snow to get there--and
if you have ever done that in a pair of bedroom slippers you can realize
the state of my mind--and looked in.

There were three chairs drawn up in a row in front of the fire, with
my bearskin hearth-rug on them to make a couch, and my shepherd's plaid
shawl folded at one end for a pillow. And stretched on that with her
long sealskin coat laid over her was Dorothy Jennings, Miss Patty's
younger sister! She was alone, as far as I could see, and she was
leaning on her elbow with her cheek in her hand, staring at the fire.
Just then the door into the pantry opened and out came Mr. Dick himself.

"Were you calling, honey?" he said, coming over and looking down at her.

"You were such a long time!" says she, glancing up under her lashes at
him. "I--I was lonely!"

"Bless you," says Mr. Dick, stooping over her. "What did I ever do
without you?"

I could have told her a few things he did, but by that time it was
coming over me pretty strong that here was the real Dicky Carter and
that I had an extra one on my hands. The minute I looked at this one I
knew that nobody but a blind man would mistake one for the other, and
Mr. Thoburn wasn't blind. I tell you I stood out in that snow-bank and
perspired!

When I looked again Mr. Dick was on his knees by the row of chairs, and
Miss Dorothy--Mrs. Dicky, of course--was running her fingers through his
hair.

"Minnie used to keep apples and things in the pantry," he said, "but she
must be growing stingy in her old age; there's not a bite there