"Miss Phebe!" "Oh, Mr. Halloway!" "Hush.

And with a cheery bow to each individual head, craning itself forward to have a look at the unusual young man who had work to do, the Rev. Mr. Halloway walked off to his rectory, which was directly opposite, giving a merry glance back at Phebe from the other side of the street.

What right had she to be out here with Mr. Halloway, keeping him from the other girls, when she ought, of course, to be in the parlors seeing that the old ladies got their ice-cream safely?

"I'll go right in," she said, rising hastily; but Mr. Halloway drew her hand through his arm to detain her.

Mr. Halloway did, it is true, belong to the wrong Church, but there was a strong suspicion among them that neither had this man sinned, nor his parents, that he was born to so grievous a fate.

"Even that," replied Mr. Halloway.

"That is very different, Mr. Halloway," answered Phebe, simply.

For you don't know how I love her, Mr. Halloway.

Mr. Halloway had been standing near Phebe, too near not to overhear the conversation, and he turned to her now quickly.

Halloway had been helping industriously with the fire, but he came toward the group under the trees when his services seemed no longer required.

Mr. Halloway is scandalized.

Oh, you needn't go, Mr. Halloway; Olly never comes to any harm.

Phebe stood watching the boat as Gerald rowed off, then, as if recollecting some neglected duty, turned suddenly, and found herself face to face with Mr. Halloway.

Halloway put his arm tenderly around the little fellow, and drew him close in a very sympathetic way.

"Surely you will forgive him?" pleaded Halloway, looking up at Gerald over Olly's head, and holding out one of the boy's hands in his own.

Halloway bent and kissed Olly's flushed face.

"Would you have thrown Olly's marbles into the lake?" "No," replied Halloway, looking steadily back at her.

" Halloway relinquished it without speaking, and went quietly out of the room, and Gerald unconcernedly resumed her work, scarcely pausing to wonder where he had gone or what he intended.

It was some days after Phebe's accident before Halloway saw Gerald again.

Won't you sit down, Mr. Halloway?" "Thank you, not this evening.

" "Mr. Halloway, a moment, please," said Gerald, rising as he was going by.

Amy tried her best to get Mr. Halloway, and so did the Dexters.

"Ah, but I don't prefer," Halloway said gayly, resuming his oars.

Still, to be left with Mr. Halloway was by no means an unenviable fate, and Bell, like the wise girl she was, proceeded to make the most of it without delay, and paraded her prey wherever she chose, finding him much more tractable than her last companion, and not in the least dictatorial as to the direction he went in.

" Halloway drew Gerald's hand through his arm with a very comfortable feeling of possession, and they walked on some time in silence.