yes. "_That step_ doesn't
cross my threshold so often for nothing. You would know it in an army of
ten thousand."

The door opened and Arthur Hazleton entered. The day was cold, and a
comfortable fire blazed in the chimney. The fire-beams that were
reflected from Helen's glowing cheek might account for its burning rose,
for it even gave a warmer tint to Miss Thusa's dark, gray form. Arthur
drew his chair near Helen, who as usual occupied a little stool in the
corner.

"What magnificent strings of coral you have, Miss Thusa?" said he,
looking up to a triple garland of red peppers, strung on some of her own
unbleached linen thread, and suspended over the fire-place. "I suppose
they are more for ornament than use."

"I never had any thing for ornament in my life," said Miss Thusa. "I
supply the whole neighborhood with peppers; and I do think a drink of
pepper tea helps one powerfully to bear the winter's cold."

"I think I must make you my prime minister, Miss Thusa," said the young
doctor, "for I scarcely ever visit a patient, that I don't find some
traces of your benevolence, in the shape of balmy herbs and medicinal
shrubs. How much good one can do in the world if they only think of it!"

"It is little good that I've ever done," cried the spinster. "All my
comfort is that I havn't done a great deal of harm."

Opening the door of a closet, at the right of the chimney, she stooped
to lift a log of wood, but Arthur springing up, anticipated her
movement, and replenished the already glowing hearth.

"You keep glorious fires, Miss Thusa," said he, retreating from the hot
sparkles that came showering on the hearth, and the magnificent blaze
that roared grandly up the chimney.

"It is _her_ father that sends me the wood--and if it isn't his daughter
that is warmed by my fire-side, let the water turn to ice on these
bricks."

"And now, Miss Thusa," said the young doctor, "while we are enjoying
this hospitable warmth, tell us one of those good old-fashioned stories,
Helen used to love so much to hear. It is a long time since I have heard
one--and I am sure Helen will thank me for the suggestion."

"I ought to be at my wheel, instead of fooling with my tongue," replied
Miss Thusa, jerking her spectacles down on the bridge of her nose. "I
shan't earn the salt of my porridge at this rate; besides there's too
much light; somehow or other, I never could feel like reciting them in
broad daylight. There must be a sort of a