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 "Ef I could look lak dat, Miss Stella, I'd let 'em bile me in ile, roast me on a red-hot stove and peel me!"

"You are breaking the Ten Commandments, Maggie."

"Yassum, I'd bust a hundred commandments ef I could look lak you."

"I accept the compliment, if I can't commend your morals."

"Yassum."

A sudden flash of lightning revealed the clouds of a rapidly approaching summer storm.

Stella frowned.

"It's going to storm," she said, fretfully.

"Yassum, but he'll come."

The mistress laughed in spite of herself.

"I'm not worrying about his coming, Maggie."

"Nobum, you needn't worry. He swim er river ef he couldn't git here no odder way—dar he is now!"

His familiar knock echoed through the hall and the maid hastened to open the door.

When Stella stood before him, John seized both her hands and looked into her deep eyes with silent rapture.

"How glorious you are to-night!" he whispered passionately.

She made no answer save the sensitive smile of