"It was fine of your mother to want them to marry." "Yes, it was like her. She is wonderful about everything,--thinks of everything and wants everybody to be happy." Phil clasped her crossed knees in her hands, and did not meet her uncle's eyes. The ache in her heart that was not to be stilled wholly through many years cried aloud. "Nan is a splendid woman and a mighty good friend to all of us. And your father's got a new shove up the ladder, and is doing splendidly. Nan did a lot for him!" Phil loosened her hands and they fell helplessly to her sides. "Oh," she cried, "I don't understand all these things, Amy! If mamma hadn't come back, Nan and daddy would have married; but I don't see how they could! It's clear beyond me how people see things one way one day and another way the next. What's the matter with all of us anyhow, that right isn't always right? In old times people mostly got married and stayed married, and knew their minds, but nowadays marriage seems so purely incidental. It's got to be almost ree-diculous, Amy." "Well, Phil, I guess we all do the best we can. I guess we can't see very far ahead in this world." And then he smiled grimly. "I guess we never know when we're going to get a puncture. There's got to be patches on the tire before we get home." She gave a little shrug that she had learned from her mother and walked over to him. She clasped his chin in her fingers and tilted his head so that she looked straight through his spectacles into his eyes. "Let's stay on the bank; the swimming's dangerous!" "What are you talking about?" he blurted, fearing that a mussing was imminent. "Getting married! But you--" She turned his head the better to search his face for telltale signs. "You beautifulest of old sinners, how about Rose?" He jerked himself free and pushed away from her with a screeching of the new chair's casters. "Thunder!" he gasped. "Don't you ever think that!" "Sure you're not fooling!" she demanded, amused at the look of horror in his face. He drew out his handkerchief and mopped his face. His manner was that of a man who, having heard bad news, has just been assured of its falsity. "I guess," he said, "if I was fool enough--at my age--Rose wouldn't be. I've got along so far, and I guess I can pull through." "Then," said Phil cheerfully, "we'll pull through together! This marriage business doesn't look good to me!" "Thunder!" He looked at her narrowly. "I wish to the Lord I could keep _you_." "Watch me! You know we're going abroad next summer to see mamma; that's a date. I guess you'll keep me all right enough until you get tired of me, or I break the bank! But why chat we here? Let's set the gasoline alight and ho for the well-hoed fields of corn!" * * * * *