“Oh, you are such an imaginative person, Dorothea,” Miss Imogene cut in sharply. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the figure of April coming up to the open window behind them. “And you haven’t asked me anything about my trip. My dear, it was dreadful. The roads are lakes.” “Is that you, Cousin Imogene?” cried April through the window, and then Dorothea understood why the conversation had been changed so abruptly. April’s welcome of Miss Imogene was obviously sincere, but very shortly she made an excuse to leave them, and the two were alone again. “I wonder why April doesn’t like me?” Dorothea speculated half-musingly. “Oh, but she does,” Miss Imogene remarked with a smile. “No, she doesn’t,” Dorothea insisted with a laugh. “If you just watch—you’ll see. You won’t notice anything at first, but in a little while you’ll find out she simply can’t bear me.” The elder woman pondered this statement for a moment. Then she shook her head. “If April had cared a rap for Val Tracy—but she never did,” Miss Imogene said, half to herself. “No, no, child! You’re just imagining things.” “I’m sure I’m right, Cousin Imogene,” Dorothea maintained, firm in her opinion of the matter. “And besides, I don’t see what Val Tracy has to do with it.” “Speak of angels and you’ll hear the rustle of their wings,” cried a voice behind them and Captain Tracy himself stepped upon the gallery floor, having come across the thick grass of the lawn so noiselessly that they had not heard his approach. “Listeners never hear any good of themselves, you mean,” Miss Imogene laughed, giving him her hand. “Faith, that’s why I didn’t listen,” he responded promptly, as he bowed over the dainty fingers. Dorothea’s welcome was more cordial than she was aware and as the tall young Irishman looked down into her eyes he could have little doubt that she was glad to see him. The girl herself would have given a good deal to know what was going on behind his humorous, twinkling eyes, and began to realize, now that he was back, that she had missed him more than she had thought. “And what has brought you out of the clouds after all this time?” demanded Miss Imogene a little later. “The same old thing,” he replied with a reckless laugh. “Horses! They’re mighty useful, you know, when it comes to fighting and we’re going to have our fill of that or I’m an Orangeman!” At his words April popped her head out of the window. “Is this our brave Captain Tracy come to threaten us,” she laughed gayly. She stood inside holding out her hand to the young man, who took it eagerly. “I’m mighty glad to see you,” she went on, her tones warm and friendly. “And I’m glad to be back even for a little while,” he answered. “What is the news from Richmond?” April asked a moment later. Tracy shook his head doubtfully. “Not the best, if what I hear is true,” he answered, the smile fading from his lips.