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 "Do, mother, let us talk of something else. Thee has sought my confidence and I have given it. If John asks me to marry him, I shall say, 'I will,' and will hold to my promise, if it means giving up that fortune over there and coming back, and I wish it would. Better John with what he can acquire than what Uncle Timothy has left me with an 'if.' But, mother, suppose any one should have heard our conversation, wouldn't tongues be wagging all over Chesterfield?" And Ruth laughed merrily as she thought of such a thing happening. "I shall write a message on a slip of birch bark to save paper, and send it to John by the boys. I'll find out, at least, if he can make them."

"Had thee not better let father attend to this?" asked her mother.

"Decidedly not, mother. Let me have my own way this time."

"This time?" repeated her mother. "Has it not always been so?"

The note was written, the boys called from their play and sent upon the errand of delivering it to John. They were not gone