reading her letter to bake muffins?"

Fleda answered without looking up, "Yes, if he pleased."

"What do you suppose she will think?"

"I don't know."

"She will think that you love muffins better than her."

"No," said Fleda, quietly but firmly,--"she will not think that, because
it isn't true."

The gentlemen laughed, but Mr. Carleton declared that Fleda's reasoning
was unanswerable.

"Well, I will see you to-morrow," said Mr. Rossitur, "after you have read
the letter, for I suppose you will read it sometime. You should have had
it before,--it came enclosed to me,--but I forgot unaccountably to mail it
to you till a few days ago."

"It will be just as good now, sir," said Mr. Ringgan.

"There is a matter in it though," said Rossitur, "about which my mother
has given me a charge. We will see you to-morrow. It was for that partly
we turned out of our way this evening."

"I am very glad you did," said Mr. Ringgan. "I hope your way will bring
you here often. Won't you stay and try some of these same muffins
before you go?"