Instantly the stout young arms closed around her. Mahala felt herself drawn to Ellen Ford and a work-coarsened young hand was stroking her hair. “Why, of course you didn’t!” she said. “Every one with any sense knows you couldn’t!” Mahala turned suddenly and went back to her room where she was greeted with another gush of song from the throat of her bird. She was too weak to reach its cage. She dropped upon the side of the bed and sat staring through the window. When Ellen came presently, saying supper was ready, she went to the dining room and tried with all her might to force down her throat some of the very good food which the girl had deftly prepared. Then she sat for an hour in an arm chair on the veranda, looking at the flowers redeemed from the trespassing of overrunning weeds, fertilized, and cultivated. How they would bloom in the spring, how well the bushes looked, and the trees; how rank the grass! By and by, the moon came up and the night was filled with the soft sounds of fall. It was Jason who said to her: “I wish you would lie down now, Mahala. I think you’re taxing yourself too far. You’ve got to take this slowly. In a few weeks you’ll be surprised at what the air, and the food, and the work that you will find, will do for you.” Mahala arose and went to him. She laid her hands upon his arm. “Jason,” she said in a shaking voice, “I had hopes about this land the minute I saw it. It will take all the rest of my life to tell you what a wonderful thing I think you have done in fixing up my house for me. I never, never can tell you what it means to me to have these things from my home back again. How does it happen?” “Don’t, Mahala,” said Jason, taking her arm and trying to guide her toward the door. “Don’t worry about these things now. Don’t try to talk. There’s a long time coming when you can tell me anything you want to.” Mahala stood looking up at him. “Jason, are you going back to Ashwater to-night?” she asked. “No,” answered Jason, “I’m only going to Ashwater when business takes me there. I’ve still got my interest with Peter. I am going to help him with his books. I’m paying a good man that I trained myself to take my place. After I got your house started enough that I knew what it would cost, I had sufficient money left to buy forty more acres joining yours, so I went into partnership with you. As soon as you’re able, you’re going to do the house work and I’m going to do the farm work, and we’re going to share and share alike. There’s nothing the matter with your land. All it needs is work. The cost of the improvements on the house I have charged to you; I’ll take that much out of your share. Now you go to bed and go to sleep. My room is over the carriage room in the stable, and Ellen’s going to stay all night with you as long as you want her.”