“Oh, Em.! Do you grudge me these few minutes? My uncle went out to speak to your father to try to prevail on him to come in. I knew you would come here to take leave of him, and so I just slipped in to receive you. Ah, Em., are you indeed going for good?” “Yes, Ronald, in every sense of the word, I am going for _good_. It is _not_ good for either of us that I should remain here. Good-by, Ronald! I know my father is waiting for me.” “Good-afternoon, but not good-by! I will see you to-morrow, Em., and see your father also! What! not one parting kiss?” he complained, as she firmly repulsed his offered salute. “Then I will see you to your carriage, ‘whether or no,’” he added with a rueful smile, as he followed her out of the house. CHAPTER XV HOME AGAIN Now soon your home will greet you And ready kindness meet you, And love that will not flee. PERCIVAL. They found John Palmer standing at the head of a powerful white mare, before a large, old-fashioned gig. Em. had not seen her father for a week, and during that separation from him she had, for some incomprehensible reason, thought of him only from first impressions—as she had known him in Laundry Lane—gaunt, sallow, dark, stooping. She was now, for the first time, struck with the change that had come over him since he had lived the more wholesome life of the mountaineer, as he stood there, erect, tall, strong, handsome, and, in spite of his hair turning “sable silvered,” younger looking than she had ever known him. He stood, listening to the discourse of Commodore Bruce, hat in hand, in deference to age, not rank. A thrill of fear shook the girl’s nerves as she saw them. What were they discussing so earnestly? Ronald and herself? Oh, why would old folks interfere so much with poor, young lovers? It was like picking the hearts out of flowers, she thought to herself, as she shrank for a moment before approaching them. But no! what a relief! They were not talking of Ronald or herself. They were talking of crops, stocks, finances—or at least Commodore Bruce was talking and John was listening. As Em. came up the commodore ceased to speak, and John turned toward her, saying: “Well, my dear, are you all ready? I am glad to get you back again, lass, I tell you. I never knew how lonesome a house full of people could be, Em., until you were gone. But ‘sich is life,’” he added, as he kissed her and gave his hand to lift her into the gig. “And, oh, I am glad to see you again, father, dear, good father! There is Lieutenant Bruce,” she whispered, as he settled her comfortably in her seat.