I think I hurt it, for I grasped it as if I were drowning. Reuben had raced down to the barn to call his father, who now followed him back at a pace that scarcely became his age and Quaker tenets. "Richard," he called, as soon as he saw me, "welcome home! Thee's been a long time coming, and yet thee's stolen a march on us after all. Reuben was just going for thee. How did thee get here? There's no train so early." "Oh, I came last night. A ship's cable couldn't hold me the moment I could get away." "Mother, I think that's quite a compliment to us old people," he began, with the humorous twinkle that I so well remembered in his honest eyes. "Has thee seen Adah?" "Yes, indeed, and she sent more love than I could carry to you all. She looked just lovely, and I nearly forgot to go down town that morning." Miss Warren was about to leave the room, but the old gentleman caught her hand and asked: "Where is thee going, Emily?" "Pardon me; I thought you would all have much to say to Mr. Morton." "So we have, to be sure. We won't get half through to-day, but that's no reason for thy leaving us. We are all one family under this roof, thank God, and I'm going to thank Him to-day in good old style and no make-believe;" and he kept her hand as she sat down by him. "If you knew how homesick I've often been you would realize how much good your words do me," she replied gratefully. "So thee's been homesick, has thee? Well, thee didn't let us know." "What good would it have done? I couldn't come before." "Well, I am kind of glad thee was homesick. The missing wasn't all on our side. Why, Richard, thee never saw such a disconsolate household as we were after Emily left. I even lost my appetite--didn't I, mother?--and that's more than I've done for any lady since Ebenezer Holcomb cut me out of thy company at a picnic--let me see, how many years ago is it, mother?" "Thee doesn't think I remember such foolishness, I hope," said the old lady; but with a rising color almost pretty as the blush I had seen so recently on Adah's face. Mr. Yocomb leaned back and laughed. "See mother blush," he cried. "Poor Ebenezer!" "Thee'll want more than light nonsense for thy dinner by and by, so I must go back to the kitchen." As she turned away she gave a sweet suggestion of the blushing girl for whom Ebenezer had sighed in vain, and I said emphatically, "Yes, indeed, Mr. Yocomb, you may well say 'Poor Ebenezer!' How in the world did he ever survive it?" "Thee's very sympathetic, Richard." Miss Warren looked at him threateningly. I tried to laugh it off, and said, "Even if he had a millstone for a heart, it must have broken at such a loss." "Oh, don't thee worry. He's a hale and hearty grandfather to-day." Miss Warren broke into a laugh that set all my nerves tingling. "Yes," she cried, "I thought it would end in that way." "Why, Emily, bless thee!" said Mrs. Yocomb, running in, "I haven't heard thee laugh so since thee came."