Charlotte looked at them; she was quite pale and trembling. She folded the silk and lace again carefully, and put them in a chest out of sight. Then she went back to bed, and lay there crying wildly. "Poor Barney! poor Barney!" she sobbed to herself. The next evening, after Cephas and Sarah had gone to bed, Charlotte crept out of the house with the package under her shawl. It was still early. She ran nearly all the way to Barney Thayer's house; she was afraid of meeting somebody, but she did not. She knocked softly on Barney's door, and heard him coming to open it at once. When he saw her standing there he gave a great start, and did not say anything. Charlotte thought he did not recognize her in the dusk. "It's me, Barney," she said. "I know you," said Barney. She held out the package to him. "I've brought this back," said she. Barney made no motion to take it from her. "I can't take it," she said, firmly. Suddenly Barney threw up his hands over his face. "Can't you take just that much from me, Charlotte? Can't you let me do as much as that for you?" he groaned out. "No, I can't," said Charlotte. "You must take it back, Barney." "Oh, Charlotte, can't you--take that much from me?" "I can take nothing from you as things are," Charlotte replied. "I wanted you to have a dress. I saw you had given the other away. I didn't think--there was any harm in buying it for you, Charlotte." "It isn't your place to buy dresses for me as things are," said Charlotte. She extended the package, and he took it, as if by force. She heard him sob. "You must never try to do anything like this again," she said. "I want you to understand it, Barney." Then she went away, and left him standing there holding his discarded gift. Chapter XIV After a while the village people ceased to have the affairs of Barney Thayer and Charlotte Barnard particularly upon their minds. As time went on, and nothing new developed in the case, they no longer dwelt upon it. Circumstances, like people, soon show familiar faces, and are no longer stared after and remarked. The people all became accustomed to Barney living alone in his half-furnished house season after season, and to Charlotte walking her solitary maiden path. They seldom spoke of it among themselves; sometimes, when a stranger came to town, they pointed out Barney and Charlotte as they would have any point of local interest.