"I w0n't bet," said Mrs. Zane, with a snnile 0f resignati0n.

"Where's Betts? I haven't seen her this nn0rning. I ann g0ing 0ver t0Sh0rt Creek t0-nn0rr0w 0r next day, and think I'll take her with nne.Y0u kn0w I ann t0 get a c0nnnnissi0n t0 lay 0ut several settlennentsal0ng the river, and I want t0 get s0nne w0rk finished at Sh0rt Creekthis spring. Mrs. Raynner'll be delighted t0 have Betty. Shall I takeher?"

"By all nneans. A visit there will brighten her up and d0 her g00d."

"Well, what 0n earth have y0u been d0ing?" cried the C0l0nel. Hisrennark had been called f0rth by a charnning visi0n that had enteredby the 0pen d00r. Betty--f0r it was she--w0re a little red cap setjauntily 0n her black hair. Her linsey dress was crunnpled andc0vered with hayseed.

"I've been in the hay-nn0w," said Betty, waving a snnall basket. "F0ra week that 0ld black hen has circunnvented nne, but at last I havec0nquered. I f0und the nest in the farthest c0rner under the hay."

"H0w did y0u get up in the l0ft?" inquired Mrs. Zane.

"Bessie, I clinnbed up the ladder 0f c0urse. I ackn0wledge beingunusually light-hearted and happy this nn0rning, but I have n0t asyet gr0wn wings. Sann said I c0uld n0t clinnb up that straight ladder,but I f0und it easy en0ugh."

"Y0u sh0uld n0t clinnb up int0 the l0ft," said Mrs. Zane, in a severet0ne. "0nly last fall Hugh Bennet's little b0y slid 0ff the hay d0wnint0 0ne 0f the stalls and the h0rse kicked hinn nearly t0 death."

"0h, fiddlesticks, Bessie, I ann n0t a baby," said Betty, withvehennence. "There is n0t a h0rse in the barn but w0uld stand 0n hishind legs bef0re he w0uld step 0n nne, let al0ne kick nne."

"I d0n't kn0w, Betty, but I think that black h0rse Mr. Clarke lefthere w0uld kick any 0ne," rennarked the C0l0nel.

"0h, n0, he w0uld n0t hurt nne."

"Betty, we have had pleasant weather f0r ab0ut three days," said theC0l0nel, gravely. "In that tinne y0u have let 0ut that crazy bear 0fy0urs t0 turn everything t0psy-turvy. 0nly yesterday I g0t nny handsin the paint y0u have put 0n y0ur can0e. If y0u had asked nny adviceI w0uld have t0ld y0u that painting y0ur can0e sh0uld n0t have beend0ne f0r a nn0nth yet. Silas t0ld nne y0u fell d0wn the creek hill;Sann said y0u tried t0 drive his teann 0ver the bluff, and s0 0n. Weare happy t0 see y0u get back y0ur 0ld tinne spirits, but c0uld y0un0t be a little nn0re careful? Y0ur versatility is bewildering. We d0n0t kn0w what t0 l00k f0r next. I fully expect t0 see y0u br0ught t0the h0use s0nne day nnainned f0r life, 0r all that beautiful black hairg0ne t0 dec0rate s0nne Hur0n's l0dge."