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“What’s all this?” asked David, sniffing the air. “Fruit-cake?”

Letty nodded without looking at him; there was a telltale quivering in her face. She divided the cake carefully, and gave her husband half. David had lain back on a piny bank; and as he ate, his eyes followed the treetops, swaying a little now in a rhythmic wind. But Letty ate her piece as if it were sacramental bread. She put out her hand to him, and he stroked the short, faithful fingers, and then held them close. He smiled at her; and for a moment he mused again over that starry light in her eyes. Then his lids fell, and he had a little nap, while Letty sat and dreamed back over the hours, a year and more ago, when her mother’s house smelled of spices, and this cake was baked for her wedding day.

When they went home again, side by side, the fencing was all done, and David had an after-consciousness of happy playtime. He carried the basket, with his axe, and Letty, like an untired little dog, took brief excursions of discovery here and there, and came back to his side with her weedy treasures. Once–was it something in the air?–he called to her:–

“Say, Letty, wa’n’t it about this kind o’ weather the day we were married?”

But Letty gave a little cry, and pointed out a frail white butterfly on a mullein leaf. “See there, David! how cold he looks! I’d like to take him along. He’ll freeze to-night.” David forgot his question, and she was glad. Some inner voice was at her heart, warning her to leave the day unspoiled. Her joy lay in remembering; it seemed a small thing to her that he should forget.

“We’ve had a real good time,” he said, as he gave her the basket at the kitchen door. “Now, as soon as thrashin’ ‘s done, we’ll go to Star Pond.”

After supper they covered up the squashes, for fear of a frost; and then they stood for a moment in the field, and looked at the harvest moon, risen in a great effrontery of splendor.

“Letty,” asked David suddenly, “shouldn’t you like to put on your little ring? It’s right here in my pocket.”

“No! no!” said Letty hastily. “I never want to set eyes on it again.”

“I guess I’ll get you another one ‘t you could wear. I looked t’other day when I went to market; but there was so many I didn’t das’t to make a choice unless you was with me.”

Letty clung to him passionately. “Oh, David,” she cried, with a break in her voice, “I don’t want any rings. I want just you.”

David put out one hand and softly touched the little blue kerchief about her head. “Anyway,” he said, “we won’t have any more secrets from one another, will we?”

Letty gave a little start, and she caught her breath before answering:–

“No, we won’t–not unless they’re nice ones!”