hands upon a girl of about seventeen and roughly draw her away from one
of the simmering pots. Unobserved, and in utter amazement, Jane stood
and stared at them.

"What were you about to do?" Miss Liz cried excitedly.

"I--I drapped de spoon in," the girl began to whimper.

"And were going to thrust in your hand and get it scalded to the bone?"

"I'se--I'se 'feerd you'd scold," she put her head down in her arm.

"Now, Amanda," Miss Liz looked at her reprovingly, "if you think I've
nothing to do but sit up nights making poultices on account of your
idiocy, you're very much mistaken! What does a spoon in the preserves
amount to compared with your suffering?--and my suffering, when I'll be
dead for sleep with nursing you? What do you all mean," she turned
angrily upon the others, "by standing there and letting her attempt such
a thing?"

"'Deed, I didn' see her, Miss Liz!" several voices were raised in
protest.

"Of course, you didn't see her! You never see anything! I must be your
eyes as well as your brains, you lazy pieces! Here, Amanda, take this
handful of cherries and go out there under the trees and eat them; and
don't swallow the seeds, either, or I'll be sitting up with you yet!"

Jane came on then, and Miss Liz gratefully recited the multitude of
grievances which had beset her since early morning. This seemed such a
vast relief that she yielded to persuasion and left for a little rest. A
few minutes later the shed was animated with a buzz of happy voices,
fingers, more skilled than Miss Liz had given herself the opportunity of
realizing, now traveled with twice their former speed, and into the
simmering kettles was being cooked a geniality which all preserves must
have to be appreciated.

Half an hour later, leaving this crew in splendid working order, she
walked slowly around to the front of the house. Out before her, in the
shaded group of rustic chairs, sat the Colonel and Brent, somewhat apart
from, but facing, Miss Liz, who seemed to be holding them at bay. Had
the men been alone Jane might doubtless have gone indoors and sought the
commander of the kettles, for she did not care to see Brent just at
once. But the human dice had fallen otherwise, and there seemed no
alternative but straight ahead.

As she drew near she noticed that Miss Liz's cheeks were flushed with
some new excitement, and guessed she was being worried by a process of
serious teasing. Her eyes then sought the reason for this and