whiskers, who wore the dollar sign sticking out so thick all over him
that you couldn't see anything else; and when it came time for
collection he peeled a bill off a roll the size of a house, and waited
for the collection plate to come along. But he got his eye on the plate
a couple of pews ahead and it was full of coppers and chicken feed, and
he did the palming act with the bill slicker than a faro dealer--and
whispered to me to change a quarter for him."

"And did you?" asked the Flopper anxiously.

"Oh, wake up, Flopper!" grinned Madison; then, suddenly: "Hullo! Who's
that?"

Across the lawn, coming through the row of maples from the direction of
the wagon track, appeared two figures.

"Dat's who," said the Flopper, after gazing an instant. "It's Helena an'
Thornton."

"So it is," agreed Madison. "Get behind the trellis here then--it
wouldn't do for him to see me out here at this time of night."

They rose noiselessly from the bench, and slipped quickly behind the
trellis. Toward them, walking slowly came the two figures, Helena
leaning on Thornton's arm. Thornton was talking, but in too low a tone
to be overheard. Then a silence appeared to fall between the two, and it
was not until they reached the porch, close to Madison and the Flopper,
that either spoke again.

Then Thornton held out his hand.