'You will not do any work to-night,' said Wych Hazel decidedly. And then she made herself very busy about Mr. Rollo's tea, with quiet dictatorship making him take and not take, as she saw fit. But I suppose he was easy to rule to-night, and had besides matter for study in the grave mouth and the eyes that would hardly meet his. Perhaps he began to observe that there was more work to do than he had been aware. Perhaps he saw, that in these two months of separation the old timidity, the old reserve, had grown up and flourished to an alarming extent. Just at first, when he came, defences had not been up, or his sudden appearance had flung them down; but it was rather the Wych Hazel of last year than of last October who sat before him now. Betraying herself now and then, it is true, by a look or a tone, but still on the whole keeping close guard. Clearly this was not to be an evening of confidences. Rollo made his observations for a little time; and then enquired gravely, 'What have you done with Mr. Falkirk?' 'His sister in England wanted him. He went to her. One ought to have six guardians, you perceive.' 'How do you expect to be taken care of this winter, in such a state of things?' 'I ought to give more trouble than ever,' said the girl, shaking her head,—'after such an apprenticeship at taking care of myself.' 'I hope not,' said Dane demurely. 'But Hazel, it is time we began to talk about business. There is a great deal to be said, at least, before Arthur comes to fetch me. Do you know it is just a week, or little more, to Christmas?' 'Yes,' said Hazel. 'I know.' 'I might divide my subject categorically in two parts; how Christmas is to be kept in the Hollow, and how we shall keep it here. I want your best attention on both heads.' 'I have not thought—I tried not to think. I wished Christmas a hundred miles away!' 'I am quite unable to fathom the mystery of that statement.' 'Yes, of course,' said Hazel; 'how should you know? But if you had been shut off here—' and she gave her plate a little push, sitting back in her chair, as she might have done,—and had done—in many of the weary days gone by. 'Meanwhile Christmas is not a hundred miles off,' said Dane watching her. 'How shall we keep it?' 'I don't know. I never did keep it much.' 'First, there is the Hollow.' 'O in the Hollow!—yes, certainly. They must all have a Christmas dinner, for one thing.' 'Well, go on. I want your help. I suppose they never kept Christmas much, either. What shall I do for them?' 'How many Christmas trees would reach through the Hollow?' Dane shook his head. 'I am afraid we are hardly ready for that. And there is scant time. I must be content to do without the poetry, this year, and make everybody happy prosaically.' 'With roast beef and plum pudding,' said Hazel. 'But then I would rather find out real wants, and supply them. Could that be done?'