This indicated that in his fight with the powers of evil Strong felt as if he had at least temporary advantage. When, perhaps, after a moment of anger it seemed that the Evil One had got the upper hold on him, he was wont to exclaim, "Satan's ahead!" But the historian is glad to say that those occasions were, in the main, rare and painful. "Strong will never give in," said Annette, with laughter. Strong's affection was expressed only in signs and tokens. Of the former there were his careful preparation for each visit, and many sighs and blushes, and now and then a tender glance of the eye. Of tokens there had been many--a tame fox, ten mink-skins, a fawn, a young thrush, a pancake-turner carved out of wood, and other important trifles. For twenty years he had been coming, but never a word of love had passed between them. Silas sat in a strong wooden chair. Under the sky he never thought of his six feet and two inches of bone and muscle; now it seemed to fill his consciousness and the little room in which he sat. To-day and generally he leaned against the wall, a knee in his hands as if to keep himself in proper restraint. "Did you just come to bring me that squirrel?" Annette inquired. "No," he answered. "What then?" "Squirrel come t' b-bring me." "Silas Strong!" she exclaimed, playfully, amazed by his frankness. He put his big hand over his face and enjoyed half a minute of silent laughter. "Silas Strong!" she repeated. "Present,"'said he, as if answering the call of the roll, and sobering as he uncovered his face. In conversation Silas had a way of partly closing one eye while the other opened wide beneath a lifted brow. The one word of the Emperor was inadequate. He was, indeed, present, but he was extremely happy also, a condition which should have been freely acknowledged. It must be said, however, that his features made up in some degree for the idleness of his tongue. He brushed them with a downward movement, of his hand, as if to remove all traces of levity and prepare them for their part in serious conversation. "All w-well?" he inquired, soberly. "Eat our allowance," said she, sitting near him. "How's Miss Strong?" "S-supple!" he answered. Then he ran his fingers through his blond hair and soberly exclaimed, "Weasels!" This remark indicated that weasels had been killing the poultry and applying stimulation to the tongue of Miss Strong. Silas had sent her fowls away to market the day before. "Too bad!" was the remark of Lady Ann. "Fisht?" By this word Silas meant to inquire if she had been fishing. "Yesterday. Over at the falls--caught ten," said she, getting busy with her knitting. "B-big?" "Three that long," she answered, measuring with her thread. He gave a loud whistle of surprise, thought a moment, and exclaimed, "M-mountaneyous!" He used this word when contemplating in imagination news of a large and important character. "How have you been?" "Stout," he answered, drawing in his breath.