"I'm handy at that kind of thing, you know," he explained, with a
blush.

"Well, if you don't mind, I wish you would come," Christopher
replied, "but to save my life I can't see why you are so ready
with other people's jobs."

Then, taking the horseshoes, he opened the gate and started
rapidly toward home. His mind was still absorbed by old Jacob's
news, and upon reaching the house he was about to pass up to his
room, when Cynthia called him from the little platform beyond the
back door, and going out, he found her standing pale and tearful
on the kitchen threshold. Looking beyond her, he saw that Lila
and Tucker were in the room, and from the intense and resolute
expression in the younger sister's face he judged that she was
the central figure in what appeared to be a disturbing scene.

"Christopher, you can't imagine what has happened," Cynthia began
in her beautiful, tragic voice. "Lila went to church yesterday--
with whom, do you suppose?"

Christopher thought for a moment.

"Not with Bill Fletcher?" he gave out at last.

"Come, come, now, it's a long ways better than that, you'll
admit, Cynthia," broke in Tucker, with a peaceful intention. "I
can't help reminding you, my dear, to be thankful that it wasn't
so unlikely a person as Bill Fletcher."