"Don't worry about work so soon. You must get used to it by degrees. And get rested over the journey. Janie and Kate Byerly were in. They want you to come to supper to-morrow night. Janie has a lover and she's promised. 'Tisn't a good sign when the youngest goes off first." "Why, Janie isn't----" in surprise. "She was fifteen a month ago;" said grandmere. "Would you want me to get married?" she asked soberly, recalling the talk she could not confess for honor's sake. "We are in no hurry," said grandmere. "Though I approve of early marriages. You settle to one another more easily. And women are happier in their own homes." "I'll get father to put up an addition and bring my husband here;" she rejoined with a kind of reckless gayety. "I couldn't go very far away from you." Her mother glanced up with fond eyes. And just then her father entered. Most people at that time were little given to caressing ways. But his own had been much dearer to Bernard Carrick after his three years' absence, and now he kissed his daughter, taking her sweet face in both hands. "Why, you look fresh as a rose. I half expected to find you in bed. Are you equal to a ride this afternoon?" "Oh, yes; only--mother----" glancing at her. "Can't mother spare you?" "Yes, yes. There will be time enough to work, child." Her mother was made very happy at the deference. Felix did not always come home at noon. "They were pretty gay last night," he began apologetically. "Seen grandad this morning?" "No, I went up in the woods. I wondered how it would look to me. It was beautiful. And it was a shame not to run over there first." "Well, you may go a bit before we start. I have some papers to look over. We're in a great wrastle about some whiskey business. And now a man has to hold his tongue sharp if he isn't on the right side." "You are on the right side?" She looked at him with laughing, trusting eyes. "I wouldn't dare go agin grandad," he laughed back. It was the old time to her. The cloth was coarse homespun partly bleached; they had some fine ones laid away for the little girl's outfit; the dishes were a motley lot, some pewter plates among them. The pretty accessories that she had become so accustomed to were missing. Was it this way when M. de Ronville was here? She colored vividly. "I'll get up, Doll," her father said, "and stop for you." So she ran down to the other house. Norah kissed her effusively. "I'm glad you weren't in this morning. I was on thorns an' briars all the time for fear. The men were in howling an' shouting until you'd thought they'd upset the government. An' they will, too. We're not going to pay tax on our very bread. Why they're coming the old game that they fit about for seven years. And grandad's fierce. He'd turn us all back to England to-morrer." "I don't know----" Daffodil looked up confused.