"And I shall not die, but by the Lord's help I shall do it." So she wrote to her husband that she was ready, and he came to fetch her. The Pleasant Valley maples were flaunting in orange and crimson when the home journey was made. The fairest month of the year was in the prime of its beauty; the air had that wonderful clearness and calm which bids the spirit of the beholder be still and be glad, saying that there is peace and victory somewhere, and rest, when the harvest of life is gathered. Diana felt the speech, but thought nevertheless that for _her_, peace and victory were a good way off. She believed they would come, when life was done; the present thing was to live, and carry the burden and do the work. The great elms hung still green and sheltering over the lean-to door. The house was enlarged and improved; and greatly beautified with a coat of paint. Diana saw it all; and she saw the marvellous beauty of the meadows and their bordering hills; she felt as if she were coming to her prison and place of hard labour. "How do you like the looks of things?" her husband asked. "Nice as can be." "You like it?" "Very much. I am glad you did not make the house white." "I remembered you said it ought to be brown." "But would you have liked it white?" "I would have liked it no way but your way," he said with a slight smile and look at her, which Diana could not answer, and which cut her sharply. She had noticed, she thought, that Basil was more sober than he used to be. She thought she knew why; and she wanted to tell him part of what had gone on in her mind of late, and how free she was of the feelings he supposed were troubling her; but a great shyness of the subject had seized Diana. She was afraid to broach it at all, lest going on from one thing to another, Basil might ask a question she could not answer. She was very sorry for him, so much that she almost forgot to be sorry for herself, as she went into the house. Mrs. Flandin was sitting with Mrs. Starling in the lean-to kitchen. "So you made up your mind to come home," was her mother's greeting. "I almost wonder you did." "If you knew how good the salt water was to me, you might wonder," Diana answered cheerfully. "Well, I never could see what there was in salt water!" said Mrs. Flandin, "that folks should be so crazy to go into it! If I was drownin', 'seems to me I'd rather have my mouth full o' sun'thin' sweet." "But I was not drowning," said Diana. "Well, I want to know what you've got by stayin' away from your place all summer"--her mother went on. "Her place was there," said the minister, who followed Diana in. "Now, dominie," said Mrs. Flandin, "you say that jes' 'cause she's your wife. Hain't her place been empty all these months? Where is a wife's place? I should like to hear you say." "Don't you think it is where her husband wants her to be?" "And you wanted her to be away from you down there? Do you mean that?"