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make in their lives if she remained here as she wished. As for her companions, it seemed to them by the light of morning wisdom an impossibility that she should stay, and they discovered to their own surprise that there was a growing disap pointment in their hearts. She had given them a peep into their former lives, and they would turn from it now the more reluctantly.
    At last Margaret ventured.
    "I don't intend to be a bit of bother when I get settled," she said brightly, "and I will be as patient now as can be; but I would like to know when you think it will be possible for my things to be brought up."
    The silence grew impressive. Stephen looked at Philip, and Philip looked into his plate. Margaret watched them anxiously from the corners of her eyes. At last Philip spoke.
    "How many things are there?" he asked, merely to make time and give Stephen a chance to tell her what he knew he ought to tell, that this was no place for her to stay.
    Margaret would rather her brother had taken the initiative. It was awkward to have to ask favors of a stranger. She wondered how much of a partner he was anyway, and what right he had in the house. Could it be possible that he was part owner? If so, it was more complicated than she had expected.
    "O, I'm afraid there are a good many," she answered humbly. "You see I had to bring them or sell them. There wasn't any good place in town to store them where I felt sure they would be safe. It is just a little country town, you know. And some of the things I love. They belonged to my old home. I thought Stephen would like having them about him again, too." She glanced wistfully over at her brother. These old things had been part o f the ammu nition she had brought with which to fight her battle for the winning of her brother.
    "Of course!"said Philip brusquely, scowling across at Ste phen. He was disgusted with Ste phen for not being more brotherly.
    "And there's my piano!" said Margaret, brightening at this slight encouragement. "I couldn't leave that!"
    "Certainly not!" said Philip, looking about at the rough room in a growing wonder of what was coming to it. The impossibility of it all! A piano in the wilderness!
    "Great Scott!" ejaculated Stephen, looking up at last, and struggling to express his feelings. "What did you do it for ? " You can't put a piano and things in here! Think of a piano in this barn!" and he waved his hands eloquently toward the silent, dejected walls.
    "O we'll make something besides a barn of it, Stephen," said Margaret, laughing almost hysterically, she was so glad he had spoken at last, even if it was only to attempt a veto to her plans. "I thought it all out this morning when I woke up. This room is lovely , it is so large . It needs a few more windows, perhaps, and a fireplace to make it perfect; but unless you are very much att ached to this primitive simplic ity you won't know this place after I get it fixed. Just wait till my materials come, and we'll have a real home here. Couldn't you boys build a fireplace, the old-fashioned kind, with a wide chimney in the room? Isn't there any rough stone around here? It would be grand to sit around winter evenings while I read aloud to you, or we all sing. It ought to go right over there!" and she indicated a space between two windows rather far apart, and directly opposite the front door.
    "No doubt!" said Philip, looking blankly at the woode n box that now occupied that po sition and trying to imagine a great stone fireplace in its stead. His fancy failed him, however. He could not see an angel in a bit of rough marble. But the picture of the reading aloud aro und the open fire on winter eve nings, and the music, was alluring.
    "Charming," he added, seeing that the weight of the answers all fell upon him. "I never built stone chimneys for a living, but I think I could assist if you would be so good as to direct the job, Miss Halstead. I can't bring my mind to comprehend anything in this room being lovely, but if you say