The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

ona said almost tragically.
Her cousin and host, Amos Baker,
shook his head.
None nearer than Sinking Fork, he
said. That's twelve miles off-and the
chances against finding anything even
there. The hills are so low and the
valley hardly worth the name.
You. must take me to the head wa
ters. l know l shall find what l want
| there" Leona said imperiously. Get
out the wagonette at once! No matter
if Christmas is ten days off, l know
way to keep greens fresh"
Wont you say please?" Amos asked
banteringly, as he went toward the
door. Leona ran after him with the
prettiest face of contrition.
"Of course 1 will, and 'thanky sir,
and anything else in the world you
ask" she said, laying her hand on his
arm.
He smiled at her. Suppose 1 should
ask you to say yes to Norrie Gordon.
I've a great mind to do it. If Norrie Is
my brother-in-law, he's worth dozen
of that other fellow"
HIM. You are sure there is another
fellow?" Leona queried saucily, but
with pretty flush.
Amos looked supernaturally wise.
There must be- he said. Candy
three times a week. and flowers and
gimcracks till the carrier wishes rural
free delivery had never been thought of
those are signs I've never yet known
to fail"
You should not peek-it's ungentle-
manly-even in your private mail box,
Leona said severely, pursing her lips.
Amos shook his head at her. You
shouldn't f1irt." he said: But to-day
I'm bound to give you a chance-Nor-
rie will go with you on this fernchase,
because I'm bound to go somewhere
else
How nice. Norrie is never saucy."
Leona said, with a dimpling smile. 1t
made her so enchanting that Norrie,
just then coming through the door. lost
his heart over again. for at least the
twentieth time. The losing gave him a
fearful joy-he, too, had read and in
terpreted the signs of the post. But
, as he climbed into the wagonette, and
sent the horses away at a slapping
pace, he put all thought of this un-
known rival from him, resolved to en-
joy at least one blissful day, basking in
the sunshine of Leona's smiles.
Presently the way bent at almost a
right angle. Norrie refined in there,
and said. letting his free hand rest over
Leona clasped ones: The Fork is
just ahead-but you'll find nothing
there / knOw-I hunt around it every
fall. 1 wonder if you dare go down in
the hills with me? There you can get
leads of things-green cedar, cross
vine, ferns and big green briers with
leaves like wax. 1 know of a holly
bush. too, and a clump of pines"
why aren't you taking me to
them?" Leona interrupted, her eyes
dancing.
Norrie smiled back at her, but there
was an anxious under-note in his voice,
as he answered: Because they're a
long way off-not too far for the horses
but so far we'd be in the night get
ting home"
"As if that mattered!' Leona said
scornfully: When you know my heart
is set on giving those dear babies such
a Christmas as they never saw. Your
sister Amy says l may do just what
please-I please to have a, Christmas
tree. with the whole house trimmed to
match. Drive on-like the wind-San-
cho and Sally will have a long rest,
while you are helping me hack and
hew."
Just as you say, maam,' Norrie an
swered suspiciously meek: But If 1
haul the tree home, to say nothing of
cutting it down, I'm to have my choice
of whatever is On it, or under it. Is
that bargain?"
1T has to be-but / never thought
you'd be such an extortioner," Leona
said loftily although her eyes twinkled