your books: something you have just been reading."

So he began to tell her the story of Ion, and managed well enough in
describing the boy and how he ministered before the shrine at Delphi,
sweeping the temple and scaring the birds away from the precincts:
but when he came to the plot of the play and, looking up, caught
Honoria's eyes, it suddenly occurred to him that all the rest of the
story was a sensual one, and he could not tell it to her.
He blushed, faltered, and finally broke down.

"But it was beautiful," said she, "so far as it went: and it's just
what I wanted. I shall remember that boy Ion now, whenever I think
of you helping your father in the church at home. If the rest of the
story is not nice, I don't want to hear it." How had she guessed?
It was delicious, at any rate, to know that she thought of him; and
Taffy felt how delicious it was, while he fitted and hammered the
shoe on Aide-de-camp's hoof, she standing by with a candle in either
hand, the flame scarcely quivering in the windless night.

When all was done, she raised a foot for him to give her a mount.
"Good-night!" she called, shaking the reins. Half a minute later
Taffy stood by the door of the forge, listening to the echoes of
Aide-de-camp's canter, and the palm of his hand tingled where her
foot had rested.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE SQUIRE'S WEIRD.

He took leave of Mendarva and the Jolls just before Christmas.
The smith was unaffectedly sorry to lose him. "But," said he, "the
Dane will be entered for the championship next summer, so I s'pose I
must look forward to that."

Every one in the Joll household gave him a small present on his
leaving. Lizzie's was a New Testament, with her name on the flyleaf,
and under it, "Converted April 19, 187-." Taffy did not want the
gift, but took it rather than hurt her feelings.

Farmer Joll said, "Well, wish 'ee well! Been pretty comfiable, I
hope. Now you'm goin', I don't mind telling 'ee I didn't like your
coming a bit. But now 'tis wunnerful to me you've been wi' us less
than two year'; we've made such friends."

At home Taffy bought a small forge and set it up in the church at the
west end of the north aisle. Mr. Raymond, under his direction, had
been purchasing the necessary tools for some months past, and now the
main expense was the cost of coal, which pinched them a little.
But they managed to keep the fire alight, and the work went forward
briskly. Save that he still for