Year: 1873

Louisas father had gone off with the
OK team up into the woods, sixty miles
away, to make the camp before the win
ters logging should begin. She felt
very lonely as soon as he was out OF
sight, for more reasons than one. In
the first place, there was nobody at home
but little jim, who could dig the paths,
to be sure, and look after the cattl
grandmother, who was communicable
enough, with her stories of old times,
but more care than a protector; and
Susette, who helped about the house,
but was only child. The second rea-
son was that she had quarreled with
Ben; and last, but not least, he and her
uncle Simon had driven off on the OK
team with her father. If there had ever
been time since their quarrel when she
had felt disposed to make it up, it was
when the OK team had disappeared from
sight, and it was impossible to do so.


The fact of the case was, that Ben had
been looking upon Louisa as his own
property ever since he could remember.
He had beaued her to and from singing
school,; he had helped her out with her
hard problems at district t-school, and had
carried her home on his sled; at quilt
ing, sewing circle, or picnic he had chos-
en- her for his partner in the dance, had
paid his forfeits to her, and had revolv-
ed about her daily. And she had seem
ed to relish the whole thing till she
went away to the city one winter to work
in milliner's shop, and so came home
quite out of conceit with country living
and country men, and had rather given
Ben the cold shoulder, refusing his gifts
and attentions, and showing pretty plain
ly that she looked higher But Ben,
with the instincts of free-born Ameri-
can, felt himself as good as any body,
and charged her one day with having
come by hifalutin ideas of herself and
life in the city, which didn't in the least
become her, and averred that she could
not do better than to marry him.


well, Mr.. Benjamin Thurman,
hope you're conceited enough" she an
swered him. Marry you'll I won't say
but you're well enough yourself; but to
live in this slow backwoods fashion
forever would be the death of me; and
not so much as lecture or concert to
while away the time; to be wearing
homespun all my days, and worrying
about the crops. Oh, dear, no, thank
you; I've had enough of hard times. I
believe I'll wait while before I settle
down"


Perhaps there somebody elss?" ven
tured Ben


No. 1 can't say that there is; though
don't mind telling you that / didn't
come home for want of chance. He
had house TOO, in the suburbs, and a
housekeeper, and he said never should
bring the water to wash my hands"


"And why didn't you marry him?"
asked Ben, frigidly.


"Oh, he didn't exactly suit me: he a
lost his front teeth and his hearing.
There's as good fish in the sea as ever
yet were caught" she sung, gaily.


well, said Ben rising, and looking
blue lightnings, ''on the whole, I'm glad
that you won't marry me, for you've got
no more heart than an adder" And
then he could have bitten his tongue
out for saying what wasn't true, when
his heart was almost breaking for love
of her; and if she had showed that she
was wounded, by word or look, he was
ready to abase himself beneath her feet
and take it all back.


"You re amazingpolite, Mr.. Thurman.
1 must say" she returned. I'm sorry
you asked for what you didn't want, be-
cause it would have been awkward if I
hadn't refused. I didn't know this was
the way folks made calling names.
when I've always treated you we'll"


Treated me well with vengeance!"
cried Ben, his face white as star. and
his eyes like thunderbolts. ''Do YOU
call 1t handsome treatment to let me go
on loving you year after year, while it
strengthened with my strength. without
hint that you couldn't return measure
for measure? And then to go back upon
fellow, and throw him over because he
doesn't live like a nabob, though he low
ed the ground you walked on, and
thought nothing too good to do for you
Ii that's what you call treating me well
good-by-I don't want ever to see you
again"


Louisa had been looking at him with
sparkling eyes. She rather liked to see
him angry; it was vastly becoming
And then he loved her so desperately
She felt strange, delightful thrill at
her heart. as if it responded secretly.
She had half a mind to go to him and
hold out her arms and be clasped to his
beating heart, and forget ambition and
luxury, and choose rather heaven on
earth; and while she hesitated he had
said, "Good-by-I don't want ever to
see you again-good-b by"


II return the sentiment" said she,
instead. II believe I can live without
you. Good-by." And when he was
safely out If sight she took revenge in a
good cry.


But now that he was gone she began
to find how much she had depended on
him, how much more his mere presence
was to her than any dream of worldly
prosperity, however golden. Perhaps