“And now we shall have such a beautiful home near the city to receive us all when we go to Washington to spend the winter. It will be so much better than a hotel or boarding-house in the city. It is only half an hour’s drive from the Capitol. We can live there so comfortable, and as quiet as we please when we wish to be so, and enter into all the amusements of the city we like when we wish to do so. It will only be to start half an hour earlier when we go to a party or a play, half an hour earlier from Cedarwood than we should from a hotel in the city, I mean. And then when we leave a brilliant ball-room or opera-house, it will be so pleasant to come to a sweet, quiet home in the woods, instead of a noisy, unwholesome hotel—don’t you think so, dear uncle?” she said, appealing to the General. “Yes, my darling, I do,” answered the old gentleman. “And shall you like the plan?” “Very much, my dear child. I never could sleep well at any of the hotels in Washington or in any other city, for that matter. The noise of the carriages in the streets always kept me awake nearly all night.” “And you, Anna—shall you like it?” “Of course I shall. I detest hotels. The clean face towels always smell sour or fetid, for one thing. And boarding houses and furnished lodgings are almost as bad.” “I am delighted! So in future I and my baby shall be _your_ guests at Old Lyon Hall or at Hammond House during the summer, and you all shall be my guests at Cedarwood all the winter. And I shall write to “mammy,” and offer her and her husband the situations of housekeeper and head gardener there, at liberal wages. And they would keep the house and grounds always in good order, and ready to receive us. Will not that be pleasant, Dick?” “Pleasant!” exclaimed Mr. Hammond enthusiastically; “it will be perfectly delightful.” CHAPTER VIII. THE END OF PROBATION. From that day forth, in peace and joyous bliss, They lived together long, without debate; No private jars, nor spite of enemies, Could shake the safe assurance of their state.—SPENSER. Besides the natural geniality and sociability of his disposition, which always moved General Lyon to bring his friends and relations about him, there were other and even stronger motives that urged him to invite Richard Hammond to remain at Old Lyon Hall. The old gentleman wanted to save “the unlucky dog from his friends,” and also he wanted to study him. And as weeks and months of close companionship in the seclusion of the country house passed away, he _did_ study him. And apparently the study was satisfactory. All poor Dick’s impulses were altogether good. Indeed, it was through the very goodness of his nature that he so often came to grief.