which made it necessary for him to put his arm about her trig waist to
support her.

"Don't think I don't understand, dear," she said, nestling up to him,
"how hard it is, and what a long drag it has been, but we should
neither of us ever feel quite satisfied to give it up. We can hold on,
can't we, as long as we are together."

He kissed her fondly, but with a certain air of distraction which
showed how full was his mind of the matter which troubled him. Two
years before, he had come to Boston, and obtained work as a carpenter,
determined to pay the debts left by his dead father, before he would
marry and settle down on the small farm which belonged to his
betrothed, and which, while it might be made to yield a living, could
by no means be looked to for more. For the sake of being near him,
Melissa had given up the school teaching of which she was fond, and
come to the city also, and although she had found the difficulty of
earning the means of support far greater than she had anticipated, she
had still clung to the fortunes of her lover, to whom her steadfastness
and unfailing cheer were of a value such as men realize only when it is
lost.

"I got a letter to-day," John went on, while Melissa stroked his
fingers fondly, "about the meadows. The time for redeeming them is up
this month, and if I try to do it I can't pay anything on the debts
this winter. The truth is "--

Melissa sat up suddenly.

"John!" she exclaimed.