As if every hitherto neglected duty were now suddenly remembered, he went straight from Mr. Douglass’s to the marble factory, where he ordered a costly stone for the little grave on the sunny slope, as yet unmarked save by the tall grass and rank weeds which grew above it. “What inscription will you have?” asked the engraver. John Jr. thought for a moment, and then replied; “Simply ‘Mabel.’ Nothing more or less; that tells the whole story,” and involuntarily murmuring to himself, “Poor little Meb, I wish she knew how happy I am,” he started for home, where he was somewhat surprised to find Mrs. Graham. She had also received a letter from her husband, and deeming secrecy no longer advisable, had come over to Maple Grove, where, to her great satisfaction, she found that the news had preceded her. Feeling sure that Mrs. Graham must feel greatly annoyed, both Carrie and her mother began, at first, to act the part of consolers, telling her it might not be true, after all, for perhaps it was a ruse of Mr. Graham’s to cover some deep-laid, scheme. But for once in her life Mrs. Graham did well, and to their astonishment, replied, “Oh, I hope not, for you do not know how I long for the society of a daughter, and as Mr. Graham’s child I shall gladly welcome ’Lena home, trying, if possible, to overlook the vulgarity of her family friends!” Though wincing terribly, neither Mrs. Livingstone nor her daughter were to be outgeneraled. If Mrs. Graham could so soon change her tactics, so could they, and for the next half hour they lauded ’Lena to the skies. They had always liked her—particularly Mrs. Livingstone—who said, “If allowed to speak my mind, Mrs. Graham, I must say that I have felt a good deal pained by those reports which you put in circulation.” “_I_ put reports in circulation!” retorted Mrs. Graham. “What do you mean? It was yourself, madam, as I can prove by the whole neighborhood!” The war of words was growing sharper and more personal, when John Jr.’s appearance put an end to it, and the two ladies, thinking they might as well be friends as enemies, introduced another topic of conversation, soon after which Mrs. Graham took her leave. Pausing in the doorway, she said, “Would it afford you any gratification to be at Woodlawn when ’Lena arrives?” Knowing that, under the circumstances, it would look better, Mrs. Livingstone said “yes,” while Carrie, thinking Durward would be there, made a similar reply, saying “she was exceedingly anxious to see her cousin.” “Very well. I will let you know when I expect her,” said Mrs. Graham, curtsying herself from the room. “Spell _Toady_, Cad,” whispered John Jr., and with more than her usual quickness, Carrie replied, by doing as he desired. “That’ll do,” said he, as he walked off to the back yard, where he found the younger portion of the blacks engaged in a rather novel employment for them.