"But I can't see it. Would you mind lifting me down?"

He impatiently took her by the arms, which seemed in his grasp like the rounds
of a chair, and put her on the ground.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, in gushing tones, "there's nothing to equal the strong
arms of a man."

He hastily lifted out her daughter, and said, "You had getter hurry in to the
fire. I'll be back in a few minutes," and he led his horses down to the barn,
blanketed and tied them. When he returned, he saw two dusky figures standing
by the front door which led to the little hall separating the kitchen from the
parlor.

"Bless me!" he exclaimed. "You haven't been standing here all this time?"

"It's merely due to a little oversight. The door is locked, you see, and--"

"But the kitchen door is not locked."

"Well, it didn't seem quite natural for us to enter the dwelling, on the
occasion of our first arrival, by the kitchen entrance, and--"

Holcroft, with a grim look, strode through the kitchen and unlocked the door.

"Ah!" exclaimed the widow. "I feel as if I was coming home. Enter, Jane, my
dear. I'm sure the place will soon cease to be strange to you, for the home
feeling is rapidly acquired when--"

"Just wait a minute, please," said Holcroft, "and I'll light the lamp and a