m after he was gone, if he showed himself
willing to do whatsoever came in his way.

It did not seem exactly safe to walk deliberately up to that enormous
beast of a cow; but since Gladys had done so he advanced without any
great show of fear, and was surprised at discovering that she
willingly obeyed the pressure on her horns.

He led her into the cleanly barn, threw some hay into the manger, and
then fastened the chain around her neck, all the while wondering at
his own bravery.

"Is there anything more for me to do?" he asked, as Aunt Hannah came
out of the house with the three-legged stool and the glistening tin
pail.

"You've earned a rest, my dear," the little woman said cheerily. "Sit
down on the front porch and enjoy the sensation which comes to every
one who has done a good day's work. We poor people can have what rich
folks can't, or don't, which amounts to much the same thing."

Seth did not avail himself of this permission; but stood on the
threshold of the "tie-up" watching the little woman force out the big
streams of milk without apparent effort, until the desire to
successfully perform the same task was strong upon him.

"Don't you think I could do that?" he asked timidly.

"I dare say you might, my child; there isn't much of a knack to it."

"Would you be willin' to let me try?"

"Of course you shall," and Aunt Hannah got up quickly from the stool.
"Be gentle, and you'll have no trouble."

Seth failed at first; but after a few trials he was able to extract a
thin stream of the foaming fluid, although White-Face did not appear
well pleased with his experiments.

Then Aunt Hannah took the matter in hand, and when she had finished
Seth carried the pail for her, arriving at the kitchen just as Gladys
and Snip entered, both seemingly weary with their afternoon's frolic.

Bread, baked that forenoon, and warm milk, made up the evening meal,
and again Aunt Hannah prayed for the stranger, much to his secret
satisfaction.

While they were at the table the little woman said, in a low tone of
authority, such as did not seem suited to her lips:

"You are to stay here until morning, Seth, and then we will have
another talk. I'm an old-fashioned old maid, an' believe in early to
bed an' early to rise, therefore we don't light lamp or candle in the
summer-time, unless some of the neighbors loiter later than usual. You
are to sleep in the room over the kitchen, my boy, and when we have
finished supper