that," he had said. "You have apparently
neglected Natalie and Mrs. Leighton. When people think they've been
neglected, never give them a chance to think up what they're going to
say to you. Just fall on them."

As soon as they had breakfasted, Leighton took Lewis to the top of the
hill at the back of the homestead. It was a high hill. It commanded a
long stretch of the Housatonic Valley to the east, and toward the west
and north it overlooked two ridges, with the dips between, before the
eye came up against the barrier of the Berkshire range.

Lewis drew a long breath of the cold, morning air.

"It's beautiful, Dad," he said.

"Beautiful!" repeated Leighton, his eyes sweeping slowly and wistfully
across the scene. "Boy, God has made no lovelier land."

Then he turned to the west and pointed across to the second ridge. "Do
you see that gleam of white that stands quite alone?"

"Yes, I think I see what you mean," said Lewis. "'Way down, just below
it, you can see the tip of a church steeple."

"So you can," said Leighton. "Well, that gleam of white is Aunt Jed's.
Make for it. That's where you'll find Natalie."

"Is it?" said Lewis, straightening, and with a flush of excitement in
his cheeks. "Aren't you coming, too?"

"No," said Leighton; "not to-day. We won't expect you back before
supper. Tell Mrs. Leighton that I'll be over soon to see her and thank
her."

Lewis started off with an eager stride, only to learn that Aunt Jed's
was farther away than it looked. He found a road and followed it through
the valley and up the first ridge, then seeing that the road meandered
off to the right into a village, he struck off across the fields
straight for the distant house.

He had passed through the moist bottoms and come upon a tract of
rock-strewn pasture land when he saw before him the figure of a girl.
Her back was to him. A great, rough straw hat hid her head. She wore a
white blouse and a close-fitting blue skirt. She was tall and supple,
but she walked slowly, with her eyes on the ground. In one hand she
carried a little tin pail.

Lewis came up behind her.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

The girl started and turned. Lewis stepped forward. They stood and
stared at each other. The little tin pail slipped from the girl's hand.

"Strawberries," she stammered. "I was looking for strawberries." Then
she added so low that he scarcely heard her, "Lew?"

"Nat!" cried Lewis. "It _is_ Nat!"

Natalie swa