For answer she turned her soft rosy cheek toward him and he touched it lightly with his lips. The color flew to the girl’s very forehead, and she turned away quickly, saying, “Good-by for the last time, Archie; I must hurry on.” She did not look back, but Archie stood gazing after her till she was out of sight. Just before she reached the edge of the woods she met Parker Willett, who, with gun on shoulder, was coming along the river path. He carried a bunch of partridges in his hand. Seeing the girl, he stopped and waited for her. “It’s getting late,” Agnes greeted him by saying. “I’ve been over to the M’Cleans’. Archie is going to-morrow, and he will see my mother. Think of it, Mr. Willett. Ah me, if I could but go to her instead of the letter I sent.” “Why didn’t you tell her to come to you?” Agnes looked at him for a moment before she asked, “Would you have done it?” “I think so. Yes, I am sure I would.” “That’s what I did, then; but don’t tell Polly.” “Why not?” “Oh, because. You see Polly has made a home for us, and one cannot tell whether her husband will ever come back. Do you think he will?” “I am afraid not.” “That’s what all think but Polly, and you see the house is small, and there’s not room for all us if mother and the children come.” “We can easily add more rooms or build another cabin if that is all.” “Yes, but will there be enough for everybody?” “No doubt we can manage. Have you any brothers?” “Yes, and Sandy is a big boy now; he can help.” “And your mother would give a hand, too, I know, from what you have told us of her. We want in this country willing, skilful, helpful workers more than anything else. It is easy to get food if there are those to help us raise and prepare it. So you’ll not starve, Nancy, when your mother comes.” “You are very good to tell me that.” She looked up at him with a beaming face. “I think, after all,” she added after a pause, “that it was a providence that sent you to us. It would be nice,” she added after a moment’s reflection, “if you would marry Polly, and then she would be provided for.” Her companion laughed. “But suppose, after all, her husband should return.” “That would make a mess of it.” She looked him over thoughtfully. “Do you know,” she said suddenly, “now I come to think of it, I wonder why you don’t get married and have your own home.” He smiled indulgently. “Because I like to stay with Polly and you,” he answered lightly. “Is that it? No, I don’t believe it is exactly,” she said thoughtfully. “I believe at first you thought you had done us a wrong by trying to take our clearing from us, and you wanted to make up for it, and now you--you feel sorry for us and you are staying because you know we need you. We do need you.” She nodded her head decidedly. “Everything has gone so well since you took hold, and soon we’ll be having as good a clearing as the M’Cleans’.”