Annette rose and seemed to go in search of something. The kindly gray eyes of Silas Strong followed her. A smile lighted up his face. It was a very plain face, but there was yet something fine about it, something which invited confidence and respect. The Lady Ann entered her own room, and soon returned. "Shut yer eyes," said she. "What f-for?" "Chris'mas present." Silas obeyed, and she thrust three pairs of socks into his coat-pocket. With a smile he drew them out. Then a partly smothered laugh burst from his lips, and he held his hand before his face and shook with good feeling. "S-socks!" he exclaimed. "There are two parts of a man which always ought to be kep' warm--his heart an' his feet," said she. Silas whacked his knee with his palm and laughed heartily, his wide eye aglow with merriment. His expression quickly turned serious. "B-bears plenty!" he exclaimed, as he felt of the socks and looked them over. This remark indicated that a season of unusual happiness and prosperity had arrived. Worked in white yarn at the top of each leg were the words, "Remember me." "T-till d-death," he whispered. "With me on your mind an' them on your feet you ought to be happy," said Annette. "An' w-warm," he answered, soberly. Presently she read aloud to him from the _St. Lawrence Republican_. "S-some day," said Silas, when at last he had risen to go. "Some day," she repeated, with a smile. The only sort of engagement between them lay in the two words "some day." They served as an avowal of love and intention. Amplified, as it were, by look and tone as well as by the pressure of the hand-clasp, they were understood of both. To-day as Annette returned the assurance she playfully patted his cheek, a rare token of her approval. Silas left her at the door and made his way down the dark road. He began to give himself some highly pleasing assurances. "S-some day--tall t-talkin'," he stammered, in a whisper, and then he began to laugh silently. "Patted my cheek!" he whispered. Then he laughed again. At the store he had filled his pack with flour, ham, butter, and like provisions for Lost River camp. At Annette's he had filled his heart with renewed hope and happiness and was now prepared for the summer. While he walked along he fell to speculating as to whether Annette could live under the same roof with Cynthia. A hundred times he had considered whether he could ask her, and as usual he concluded, "Ca-can't." The hunter had an old memorandum-book which was a kind of storehouse for thought, hope, and reflection. Therein he seemed always to regard himself objectively and spoke of Strong as if he were quite another person. Before going to bed that evening he made these entries: _"June the 23. Strong is all mellered up. "Snags."_ With him the word "meller" meant to soften, and sometimes, even, to conquer with the club. The word "snags" undoubtedly bore reference to the difficulties that beset his way. V