ally, now. I'm sorry, but the boss
won't stand it."

"Won't stand it!--not even for flowers!" she gasped.

"No, ma'am"--the janitor's tone was firm but regretful. A queer
feeling of sympathy came over him for this gentle little woman on the
top floor whom he had always liked. "There hain't none of the tenants
no business with them yards; he said so."

"Oh!" said Mrs. Dalton, "I--I'll go then." And she picked up the
trowel and rose to her feet.

She passed the janitor without a word, her head held high, and her eyes
looking straight before her; but once in the seclusion of the halls,
her head drooped, and her eyes rained tears that rolled down her cheeks
unceasingly all the way to the top floor.

It was that night that Caleb brought out the paper and pen to write the
letter which would lease the farm for another six months. Twice he
dipped his pen in the ink, and paused with no word written. Finally he
spoke.

"I--I'm going to give him some hints, Sarah. He won't know how to run
some of the things, I 'm sure. If he should plant the meadow lot to
potatoes, now, it--"

"And, Caleb," cut in Sarah, "be sure and send word to his wife about
the roses; if she don't spray 'em real early, the bugs and worms will
get an awful start. Caleb, don't you remember how lovely that crimson
rambler was last year?"

Caleb nodded; his eyes were fixed on the wallpaper.

"I--I wonder if this warm weather has made the leaves start out on it,"
resumed Sarah. "I hope not--you know we always have frosts up there."

"Hm-m," murmured Caleb.

There was a long silence; then Sarah drew a deep breath.

"Caleb, do you s'pose it 'll get up to the front-chamber window this
year--that rosebush, I mean?"

"I don't know, Sarah." Caleb's eyes were still on the wall-paper.

There was another long silence, broken this time by the children's
entrance.

"Mother," began Fred discontentedly, "don't they ever go fishing down
here, or swimming, or anything?"

Sarah sprang to her feet with a nervous little laugh.

"Caleb, we--we might go up home just for--for a visit," she said.

"Hurrah!--let's!" crowed Fred; and Ethel clapped her hands.

"I'll do it," cried Caleb suddenly, bringing his fist down hard on his
knee. "I'll write that we 'll go up next week for three days. There's
lots of room, and they can tuck us away somewhere for just that little
time. We can show 'em things better than we can tell 'em, and I can
close the deal w