"Here's a button gone," she said. I felt my face grow white, while Mrs. Horton explained placidly: "Yes; and that's a pity, for the buttons are worth more than the coat. They're quite curious, if you'll notice. I never saw any like them before he got that coat. I think myself that that little brass leaf stuck on to the front of them looks fussy on a man's coat buttons, but Jake thinks they're so tasty. He was wonderfully put out when he found that he'd lost one of them. The land sake, Leslie!" she broke off suddenly as her glance fell on me. "Are you sick, child? Why, you are as pale as a sheet! Isn't she, Jessie?" Jessie, glancing up from the tattered coat, in alarm, confirmed this statement, and they were both anxiously inquiring if I felt sick, and how long since the attack came on, and if I hadn't better go right to bed, when a diversion was created by the entrance of Joe. Joe had the weekly county paper open in his hand; he could read a little in a halting and uncertain fashion, but did not often trouble himself to do it. "There must have been something of special interest to him in this issue," I thought, and was not left long in doubt as to what it was. "Heah we is!" he exclaimed, gleefully, extending the paper toward Jessie; "heah's our third and las' notice ob provin' up!" "Oh, is it there?" cried Jessie, seizing the paper, and running her eye quickly over the item indicated by Joe's stubby black finger. Mrs. Horton, brushing her husband's cherished coat from the chair where Jessie had dropped it to the floor, seated herself, leaning forward in anxious attention, and even Ralph, abandoning a furtive attempt to put the cat in the water-pail, came and leaned against her knees, while Jessie read aloud: "Before the United States Land Office at Fairplay, Chico County, on August 30th, 18--, will appear, viz.: Ralph C. Gordon, who enters Homestead claim, No. 4571, for the W. 1-2, W. 1-4, Section 34, and S. 1-2 Section 33, Township 22 S., Range 68 W. "Ralph C. Gordon names the following witnesses to prove his continuous residence upon, and cultivation of said land, viz.: "W. H. Wright, S. H. Stearns, C. L. Wilson, all of Chico County. "W. W. BAYARD, Register." We all listened to the reading with breathless interest. When it was concluded Mrs. Horton observed: "Wright, Stearns, and Wilson, they're your witnesses, are they?" "Yes; father selected them, you know," Jessie replied. "They're good men, all of them, but, I declare, I wish that your pa had thought to put Jake on, too! It would have given me a good excuse to go down with you when the day comes. Not but what I mean to go anyhow, for that matter. Well, now, your date is set. It wasn't set before, was it?" "No; the other notices read: 'On a day to be hereinafter named, etc.'"