ould give to her. It wouldn't do to say--

"I won't touch Mrs. Halpin's butter because I've cut off her husband's
right of way across my land. I have nailed up the only outlet there is
from his property to the public road."

No, it wouldn't do to say that. So, nothing was left for Mr. Bolton but
to taste the delicious butter.

"Isn't it very fine?" said his wife, as she saw him place it to his
lips.

"Yes, it's good butter," replied Mr. Bolton, "very good butter."
Though, in fact, it was far from tasting pleasant to him.

"It's more than very good," said Mrs. Bolton, impatiently. "What has
come over you? But wait a little while, and I'll give you something to
quicken your palate. I've made some curds--you are so fond of them. If
you don't praise the sweet cream Mrs. Halpin so kindly sent over this
morning, when you come to eat these curds, I shall think--I don't know
what I shall think."

The dinner proceeded, and, at length, the dessert, composed of curds
and cream, was served.

"Isn't that beautiful?" said Mrs. Bolton, as she poured some of the
cream received from Mrs. Halpin into a saucer of curds, which she
handed to her husband.

Bolton took the curds and ate them. Moreover, he praised the cream;
for, how could he help doing so? Were not his wife's eyes on him, and
her ears open? But never in his life had he found so little pleasure in
eating.

"Do you know," said Mrs. Bolton, after she had served the curds and
said a good deal in favour of the cream, "that I promise myself much
pleasure in having such good neighbours? Mrs. Halpin I've always heard
spoken of in the highest terms. She's a sister of Judge Caldwell, with
whose family we were so intimate at Haddington."

"You must be in error about that."

"No. Mrs. Caldwell often spoke to me about her, and said that she had
written to her sister that we talked of buying this farm."

"I never knew this before," said Mr. Bolton.

"Didn't you! I thought I had mentioned it."

"No."

"Well it's true. And, moreover, Mrs. Caldwell told me, before we left,
that she had received a letter from her sister, in which she spoke of
us, and in which she mentioned that her husband had often heard you
spoken of by the judge, and promised himself great pleasure in your
society."

Mr. Bolton pushed back his chair from the table, and, rising, left the
room. He could not bear to hear another word.

"Is my horse ready, Ben?" said he, as he came into the open air.

"