together. It was easier that way, of course, and she gave him a thankful little smile.
“You’re being very kind to me, a stranger,” she said. “I can’t ever thank you enough.”
“Don’t try,” he said with a smile. “And besides, you’re not a stranger, merely a neighbor. Now, let’s forget it and have a good journey. That will rest you more than trying to be grateful. See that color in the sky and how it reflects from the ice. It’s like sailing onto a pavement of rubies.”
“Yes, isn’t it lovely? That’s one great reason why I like to come this way. It’s so beautiful, any time of day, especially morning and evening. I dread so to have the weather change and spoil the ice.”
“Yes, that’s right. Weather has a good deal to do with it. I feel that way myself, watching the sky every morning when I wake up. Rejoicing when the sky is still clear and bright. But say, where did your family come from when you moved here? Was it from far away?”
“No,” said Frannie. “It was only about seventy miles north, but it was in the country. We went to stay with my grandmother after my father died. Grandmother was quite ill and needed us. But she died three weeks ago, and Mother and I felt we should come down here where I could get a job. I think I was most fortunate in finding such a good job, just by answering an advertisement in the paper. We came from a little place called Bluebell, and that is the reason our goods are coming in sections. There wasn’t a regular moving company near, and so an old farmer, a friend of my grandmother’s, is moving us a little at a time. That’s why you found our little house so bare. But I think the rest of the things are coming today. The farmer borrowed a larger truck and is bringing his son with him to help, so we can soon get in order, I hope. He thought they might get here before dark tonight.”
“Well, perhaps they’ll be there when we arrive. I’d like to stick around awhile and help a little if I may.”
“Oh, but you’ve already done too much!” said Frannie.
“It seems to me that I’ve somewhere heard that there’s a kind of law, perhaps it’s in the Bible, that the reward for doing something is that you get the privilege of doing something more a lot greater. Anyway that seems a pretty good rule to me. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done so far immensely.”
“That’s a beautiful way to look at it,” said Frannie wistfully.
“There are other compensations, too,” said the young man with a smile. “I feel that I have made some very lovely friends, besides renewing the acquaintance of one whom I knew several years ago when I was a youngster. I mean Lady Winthrop. It was she who called me from the river and sent me to your mother. I want you to know her also. I know you will love her.”
“Oh yes, and I shall want to thank her, too,” said Frannie eagerly. “Tell me about it again, please. That is something I shall not want to forget.”
So he told her about it, more in detail, as they skimmed along on the sunset-colored ice, her mittened hands held firmly in his gloved ones, his strength steadying her balance. And the way did not seem long in such company.
And then they were in sight of the little brick house and saw that two trucks were parked by the sidewalk.
“Oh, the furniture has come!” cried Frannie. “I’m so glad. Now Mother can have her blankets and pillows. I’m afraid she wasn’t warm enough last night.”
“Oh, but Lady Winthrop thought of that, too, and sent over some blankets with the first load I took across.”
“How dear of her!” said the girl, her face brimming over with gratitude. “I’m eager to know her. She must be wonderful!”
“She’s all that!” declared the young man, guiding the girl to the steps. “Well, here we are! Now, let me unfasten those skates and put on your shoes. And may I suggest that after the shock, and the unusual experience you had this afternoon, you relax as much as
“You’re being very kind to me, a stranger,” she said. “I can’t ever thank you enough.”
“Don’t try,” he said with a smile. “And besides, you’re not a stranger, merely a neighbor. Now, let’s forget it and have a good journey. That will rest you more than trying to be grateful. See that color in the sky and how it reflects from the ice. It’s like sailing onto a pavement of rubies.”
“Yes, isn’t it lovely? That’s one great reason why I like to come this way. It’s so beautiful, any time of day, especially morning and evening. I dread so to have the weather change and spoil the ice.”
“Yes, that’s right. Weather has a good deal to do with it. I feel that way myself, watching the sky every morning when I wake up. Rejoicing when the sky is still clear and bright. But say, where did your family come from when you moved here? Was it from far away?”
“No,” said Frannie. “It was only about seventy miles north, but it was in the country. We went to stay with my grandmother after my father died. Grandmother was quite ill and needed us. But she died three weeks ago, and Mother and I felt we should come down here where I could get a job. I think I was most fortunate in finding such a good job, just by answering an advertisement in the paper. We came from a little place called Bluebell, and that is the reason our goods are coming in sections. There wasn’t a regular moving company near, and so an old farmer, a friend of my grandmother’s, is moving us a little at a time. That’s why you found our little house so bare. But I think the rest of the things are coming today. The farmer borrowed a larger truck and is bringing his son with him to help, so we can soon get in order, I hope. He thought they might get here before dark tonight.”
“Well, perhaps they’ll be there when we arrive. I’d like to stick around awhile and help a little if I may.”
“Oh, but you’ve already done too much!” said Frannie.
“It seems to me that I’ve somewhere heard that there’s a kind of law, perhaps it’s in the Bible, that the reward for doing something is that you get the privilege of doing something more a lot greater. Anyway that seems a pretty good rule to me. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done so far immensely.”
“That’s a beautiful way to look at it,” said Frannie wistfully.
“There are other compensations, too,” said the young man with a smile. “I feel that I have made some very lovely friends, besides renewing the acquaintance of one whom I knew several years ago when I was a youngster. I mean Lady Winthrop. It was she who called me from the river and sent me to your mother. I want you to know her also. I know you will love her.”
“Oh yes, and I shall want to thank her, too,” said Frannie eagerly. “Tell me about it again, please. That is something I shall not want to forget.”
So he told her about it, more in detail, as they skimmed along on the sunset-colored ice, her mittened hands held firmly in his gloved ones, his strength steadying her balance. And the way did not seem long in such company.
And then they were in sight of the little brick house and saw that two trucks were parked by the sidewalk.
“Oh, the furniture has come!” cried Frannie. “I’m so glad. Now Mother can have her blankets and pillows. I’m afraid she wasn’t warm enough last night.”
“Oh, but Lady Winthrop thought of that, too, and sent over some blankets with the first load I took across.”
“How dear of her!” said the girl, her face brimming over with gratitude. “I’m eager to know her. She must be wonderful!”
“She’s all that!” declared the young man, guiding the girl to the steps. “Well, here we are! Now, let me unfasten those skates and put on your shoes. And may I suggest that after the shock, and the unusual experience you had this afternoon, you relax as much as
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