So they all set out for their walk, through the garden, and out at the gate that led at once into the fields which stretched beyond. They walked one by one along the narrow track between the springing corn, a little flock of brown- holland children, and Madelon last of all, in her fresh grey spring dress. Harry had a drum, and marched on in front, drubbing with all his might; and Jack followed, brandishing a sword, and blowing a tin trumpet. Madge would have stopped this horrible din, which indeed scared away the birds to right and left, but Madelon only laughed and said she liked it. Graham, coming across the fields in another direction, saw the little procession advancing towards him, and waited on the other side of a stile till it should come up. The children tumbled joyfully over into Uncle Horace's arms, and were at once ready with a hundred plans for profiting by the unwonted pleasure of having him for a companion in their walk; but he distinctly declined all their propositions, and sending them on in front with Madge, walked along at Madelon's side. "Why do you plague yourself with all these children," he said, "instead of taking a peaceable walk in peaceable society?" "I like the children," she answered, "and I should have found no society but my own this afternoon, for Mrs. Vavasour was going to pay visits, she said, and Maria went out directly after lunch." "And you think your own society would have been less peaceable than that of these noisy little ruffians?" "I don't know," she answered; "I like walking by myself very much sometimes, but I like the children, too, and Madge and I are great friends." "I think Madge shows her sense--she and I are great friends, too," said Graham, laughing. "Madge thinks there is no one in the world like Uncle Horace-- she is always talking about you," said Madelon, shyly. "That is strange--to me she is always talking about you--she looks upon you as a sort of fairy princess, I believe, who has lived in a charmed world as strange to her as any she reads about in story-books. Madge's experiences are limited, and it does not take much to set her little brain working. If Maria and I are abroad next winter, I think I must get Georgie to spare her to me for a time." "Are you going abroad again?" said Madelon; and as she asked the question, a chill shadow seemed to fall upon the bright spring landscape. "It is possible-- I have heard of an opening." He paused for a moment, and then went on,-- "I don't know why I should not tell you all about it, Madelon, though I have said nothing about it to any one yet--but it will be no secret. I had a letter this morning telling me that there is an opening for a physician at L----, that small place on the Mediterranean, you know, that has come so much into fashion lately as a winter place for invalids. Dr. B----, an old friend of mine, who is there now, is going to leave it, and he has written to give me the first offer of being his successor."