his arm, and leaned, with a gentle pressure, against him.

"How far is it to G----?" I asked, not deeming it best to say, in
the beginning, that I sought a resting-place for the night.

"To G----!" growled the man, but not so harshly as at first. "It's
good six miles from here."

"A long distance; and I'm a stranger, and on foot," said I. "If you
can make room for me until morning, I will be very thankful."

I saw the girl's hand move quickly up his arm, until it rested on
his shoulder, and now she leaned to him still closer.

"Come in. We'll try what can be done for you."

There was a change in the man's voice that made me wonder.

I entered a large room, in which blazed a brisk fire. Before the
fire sat two stout lads, who turned upon me their heavy eyes, with
no very welcome greeting. A middle-aged woman was standing at a
table, and two children were amusing themselves with a kitten on the
floor.

"A stranger, mother," said the man who had given me so rude a
greeting at the door; "and he wants us to let him stay all night."

The woman looked at me doubtingly for a few moments, and then
replied coldly--