selves in every novel variety of grouping and colouring. There was Earl Douglass, not a hair different from what he was every day in reality, but with his dark skin and eyes, and a hat that like its master had concluded to abjure all fashions, and perhaps for the same reason, he looked now like any bandit, and now in a more pacific view could pass for nothing less than a Spanish shepherd at least, with an iron ladle in lieu of crook. There was Dr. Quackenboss, who had come too, determined as Earl said, "to keep his eend up," excessively bland and busy and important, the fire would throw his one-sidedness of feature into such aspects of gravity or sternness that Fleda could make nothing of him but a poor clergyman or a poor schoolmaster alternately. Philetus, who was kept handing about a bucket of sap or trudging off for wood, defied all comparison; he was Philetus still; but when Barby came once or twice and peeped into the kettle her strong features with the handkerchief she always wore about her head were lit up into a very handsome gypsy. Fleda stood some time unseen in the shadow of the house to enjoy the sight, and then went forward on the same principle that a sovereign princess shews herself to her army, to grace and reward the labours of her servants. The doctor was profuse in enquiries after her health and Earl informed her of the success of the day.

"We've had first-rate weather," he said; "I don't want to see no better weather for sugar-makin'; it's as good kind o' weather as you need to have. It friz everythin' up tight in the night, and it thew in the sun this mornin' as soon as the sun was anywhere; the trees couldn't do no better than they have done. I guess we ha'n't got much this side o' two hundred gallons-I ain't sure about it, but that's what I think; and there's nigh two hundred gallon we've fetched down; I'll qualify to better than a hundred and fiftyor a hundred and sixty either. We should ha' had more yet if Mr. Skillcorn hadn't managed to spill over one cask of it-I reckon he wanted it for sass for his chicken."

Now, Mr. Douglass!" said Philetus, in a comical tone of deprecation. "It is an uncommonly fine lot of sugar-trees," said the doctor, "and they stand so on the ground as to give great felicities to the oxen."

"Now Fleda," Earl went on, busy all the while with his iron ladle in dipping the boiling sap from one kettle into the other, "you know how this is fixed when we've done all we've got to do with it? it must be strained out o' this biler into a cask or a tub or somethin' 'nother, anythin' that'll hold it, and stand a day or so; you may strain it through a cotton cloth, or through a woollen cloth, or through any kind of a cloth! and let it stand to settle; and then when it's biled down-Barby knows about bilin' downyou can tell when it's comin' to the sugar when the yellow blobbers rises thick to the top and puffs off, and then it's time to try it in cold water, it's best to be a leetle the right side o' the sugar and stop afore it's done too much, for the molasses will dreen off afterwards——”

"It must be clarified in the commencement," put in the doctor.

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"O' course it must be clarified," said Earl, Barby knows about clarifyin' that's when you first put it on-you had ought to throw in a teeny drop o' milk for to clear it, milk's as good as a'most anything, or if you can get it calf's blood 's better

"Eggs would be a more preferable ingredient on the present occasion, I presume, ," said the doctor. "Miss Ringgan's delicacy would be-a-would shrink from-a-- and the albumen of eggs will answer all the same purpose."

'Well anyhow you like to fix it," said Earl-"eggs or calf's blood-I won't quarrel with you about the eggs, though I never heerd o' blue ones afore, 'cept the robin's and bluebird's—and I've heerd say the swamp blackbird lays a handsome blue egg, but I never happened to see the nest myself; and there's the chippen sparrow; but you'd want to rob all the birds' nests in creation to get enough of 'em, and they ain't here in sugar time nother; but anyhow any eggs 'll do I s'pose if you can get 'em-or milk 'll do if you haʼn't nothin' else—and after it is turned out into the barrel you just let it stand still a spell till it begins to grain and look clean on top

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"May I suggest an improvement?" said the doctor. Many persons are of the opinion that if you take and stir it up well from the bottom for a length of time it will help the coagulation of the particles. I believe that is the practice of Mr. Plumfield and others."

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""Tain't the practice of as good men as him and as good sugar-bilers besides," said Earl; though I don't mean to say nothin' agin Seth Plumfield nor agin his sugar, for the both is as good as you'd need to have; he's a good man and he's a good farmer-there ain't no better man in town than Seth Plumfield, nor no better farmer, nor no better sugar nother; but I hope there's as good; and I've seen as handsome sugar that wa'n't stirred, as I'd want to see or eat either."

"It would lame a man's arm the worst kind!" said Philetus.

Fleda stood listening to the discussion and smiling, when Hugh suddenly wheeling about brought her face to face with Mr. Olmney.

"I have been sitting some time with Mrs. Rossitur," he said, “and she rewarded me with permission to come and look at you. I mean!-not that I wanted a reward, for I certainly did not

"Ah Mr. Olmney!" said Fleda laughing, "you are served right. You see how dangerous it is to meddle with such equivocal things as compliments. But we are worth looking at, aren't we? I have been standing here this half hour."

He did not say this time what he thought.

"Pretty, isn't it?" said Fleda. "Stand a little further back Mr. Olmney -isn't it quite a wild-looking scene, in that peculiar light and with a snowy background? Look at Philetus now with that bundle of sticks-Hugh!

isn't he exactly like some of the figures in the old pictures of the martyrdoms, bringing billets to feed the fire? that old martyrdom of St. Lawrence -whose was it-Spagnoletto! at Mrs. Decatur's-don't you recollect? It is fine, isn't it, Mr. Olmney?"

“I am afraid,” said he shaking his head a little, “my eye wants training. I have not been once in your company I believe without you showing me something I could not see.”

"That young lady, sir," said Dr. Quackenboss from the far side of the fire, where he was busy giving it more wood, "that young lady, sir, is a pattron to her-a-to all young ladies.

"A patron?" said Mr. Olmney.

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Passively, not actively, the doctor means," said Fleda softly.

Well, I don't say but she's a good girl," said Mr. Douglass in an abstracted manner, busy with his iron ladle, "she means to be a good girl— she's as clever a girl as you need to have!"

Nobody's gravity stood this, excepting Philetus, in whom the principle of fun seemed not to be developed.

"Miss Ringgan, sir," Dr. Quackenboss'went on with a most benign expression of countenance, "Miss Ringgan, sir, Mr. Olmney, sets an example to all ladies who-a-have had elegant advantages. She gives her patronage to the agricultural interest in society."

"Not exclusively, I hope?" said Mr. Olmney smiling, and making the question with his eye on Fleda. But she did not meet it.

"You know," said she rather quickly, and drawing back from the fire, "I am of an agricultural turn perforce-in uncle Rolf's absence I am going to be a farmer myself."

"So I have heard, so Mrs. Rossitur told me, but I fear-pardon meyou do not look fit to grapple with such a burden of care."

Hugh sighed, and Fleda's eyes gave Mr. Olmney a hint to be silent. "I am not going to grapple with any thing, sir; I intend to take things easily."

"I wish I could take an agricultural turn too," said he smiling, "and be of some service to you."

"Oh, I shall have no lack of service," said Fleda gaily; "I am not going unprovided into the business. There is my cousin Seth Plumfield, who has engaged himself to be my counsellor and instructor in general; I could not have a better; and Mr. Douglass is to be my right hand; I occupying only the quiet and unassuming post of the will, to convey the orders of the head to the hand. And for the rest, sir, there is Philetus!"

Mr. Olmney looked, half laughing, at Mr. Skillcorn, who was at that moment standing with his hands on his sides, eyeing with concentrated gravity the movements of Earl Douglass and the "Don't shake your head at him!" said Fleda. an hour earlier, Mr. Olmney."

doctor.

"I wish you had come

"Why?"

"I was just thinking of coming out here," said Fleda, her eyes flashing with hidden fun, "and Hugh and I were both standing in the kitchen, when we heard a tremendous shout from the wood-yard. Don't laugh, or I can't go on. We all ran out towards the lantern which we saw standing there, and so soon as we got near we heard Philetus singing out, 'Ho, Miss Elster! I'm dreadfully on't!' Why he called upon Barby I don't know, unless from some notion of her general efficiency, though to be sure he was nearer her than the sap-boilers and perhaps thought her aid would come quickest. And he was in a hurry, for the cries came quick,—'Miss Elster! - here!--I'm dreadfully on't'

"No," said Fleda, whose amusement seemed to be increased by the gentleman's want of understanding, “and neither did we till we came up to him. The silly fellow had been sent up for more wood, and splitting a log he had put his hand in to keep the cleft, instead of a wedge, and when he took out the axe the wood pinched him; and he had the fate of Milo before his eyes, I suppose, and could do nothing but roar. You should have seen the supreme indignation with which Barby took the axe and released him with 'You're a smart man, Mr. Skillcorn!""

"What was the fate of Milo?" said Mr. Olmney presently.

"Don't you remember,―the famous wrestler that in his old age trying to break open a tree found himself not strong enough; and the wood closing upon his hands held him fast till the wild beasts came and made an end of him. The figure of our unfortunate wood-cutter though, was hardly so dignified as that of the old athlete in the statue. Dr. Quackenboss and Mr. Douglass, you will come in and see us when this troublesome business is done?"

"It'll be a pretty spell yet,” said Earl; "but the doctor, he can go in, he ha'n't nothin' to do. It don't take more than half a dozen men to keep one pot a bilin'."

"Ain't there teu of 'em, Mr. Douglass?" said Philetus.

THE

CHAPTER XXVIII.

He that has light within his own clear breast,

May sit i' the centre and enjoy bright day.-Milton.

'HE farming plan succeeded beyond Fleda's hopes; thanks not more to her wisdom than to the nice tact with which the wisdom was brought into play. The one was eked out with Seth Plumfield's; the other was all her own. Seth was indefatigably kind and faithful. After his own day's work was done he used to walk down to see Fleda, go with her often to view the particular field or work just then in question, and give

her the best counsel dictated by great sagacity and great experience. It was given, too, with equal frankness and intelligence, so that Fleda knew the steps she took, and could maintain them against the prejudice or the ignorance of her subordinates. But Fleda's delicate handling stood her yet more in stead than her strength. Earl Douglass was sometimes unmanageable, and held out in favour of an old custom or a prevailing opinion in spite of all the weight of testimony and light of discovery that could be brought to bear upon him. Fleda would let the thing go. But seizing her opportunity another time she would ask him to try the experiment on a piece of the ground, so pleasantly and skilfully that Earl could do nothing but shut his mouth and obey, like an animal fairly stroked into goodhumour. And as Fleda always forgot to remind him that she had been right and he wrong, he forgot it too, and presently took to the new way kindly. In other matters he could be depended on, and the seed-time and harvest prospered well. There was hope of making a good payment to Dr. Gregory in the course of a few months.

As the spring came forward Fleda took care that her garden should,— both gardens indeed. There she and Philetus had the game in their own hands, and beautifully it was managed. Hugh had full occupation at the mill. Many a dollar this summer was earned by the loads of fine fruit and vegetables which Philetus carried to Montepoole; and accident opened a new source of revenue. When the courtyard was in the full blaze of its beauty, one day an admiring passer-by modestly inquired if a few of those exquisite flowers might be had for money. They were given him most cheerfully that time; but the demand returned, accompanied by the offer, and Fleda obliged herself not to decline it. A trial it was to cut her roses and jessamines for anything but her own or her friends' pleasure, but according to custom she bore it without hesitation. The place became a sort of resort for all the flower-lovers who happened to be staying at the Pool; and rose-leaves were changed into silver pennies as fast as in a fairy-tale.

But the delicate mainspring that kept all this machinery in order suffered from too severe a strain. There was too much running, too much considering, too much watchfulness. In the garden pulling peas and seeing that Philetus weeded the carrots right,—in the field or the woodyard consulting and arranging or maybe debating with Earl Douglass, who acquired by degrees an unwonted and concentrated respect for womankind in her proper person; breakfast waiting for her often before she came in; in the house her old housewifery concerns, her share in Barby's cares or difficulties, her sweet countenancing and cheering of her aunt, her dinner, her work; then when evening came, budding her roses and tying her carnations, or weeding or raking the ground between them (where Philetus could do nothing), or training her multiflora and sweet-briar branches; and then often after all walking up to the mill to give Hugh a little earlier a home smile and make