y; and with the kindly purpose of creating a diversion to her thoughts he started up, breaking off his discu

the qui vive. "You will make Amy

the bark off the stems of some of the trees, and I doubt whether I can save them. At first I was puzzled by their performances. You know, father, that short nursery row grafted with our seedling apple, the Highland Beauty? Well, I found many of the lower twigs taken off with a sharp, slanting cut, as if they had been severed with a knife, and I imagined that a thrifty neighbor had resolved to share in our mono

claimed Leonard. "Who ev

n be shot or trapped. The latter method will be good fun for you, Alf. This afternoon I placed sweet apples, cabbage-leaves, and turnips around the edge of a little thick

Burt forgot Amy and every

t I go with the

gie?" Leonard asked his

oys. If you will let

can only go!" cried Alf,

you care to see the fun, you can get a good view from

y asked, catching some o

l so nov

uch as you please in your new home. You are now among republica

old," she smilingly asserted, as she stood beside him near the ha

pouring the powder carefully

in the world. It seems so odd," she laughed, "that I am not a bit afraid of you, even with your gun, and yet we have just met, as it were. The way you and your brothers say 'sister Amy

You were just the one element lacking in our home. I now see that it was so. I

prompt. You have never known what it is to be deso

o you; but don't expect too much. Y

I shall often tax your patience. Do you know, I never saw a gun loaded before. There seems to be so

haps a trifle heavy. I hope you will think it your mission to render me less matter-of-fact. I'm ready

olding their breath in expectation as they saw the young men, with

ered cautiously out. "Hold on, Burt," Webb whispered, as the former was bringing his gun to his shoulder; "I want a crack at them as well as yourself. Let's reconnoitr

red Burt, impatiently. "It's confoundedly c

ends my compunctions. I'll take him, and you that big fellow munching a cabbage-leaf. We'll count three-now, one, two-"

ing Indians, robbers, or giants," cried Johnni

about to rush forward to secure th

f was given the supreme delight of picking up the game that lay on the s

ly gathered around Alf and the rabbits in the sitting-roo

brows. "Has there been a hidden spring of sentiment in your

queer little feet that never get cold, and the places where the lead had entered with the sharp deadly shock that had driven out into the chill night the nameless something which had been the little creature's life. Amy, too, stroked the fur with a pity on her face which made it very sweet to Webb, while tender-hearted Johnnie was exceedingly remorseful, and wished to know whether "the bunnies, if put by the fire, would not come