"They are coming to spend a day with us this week, Alexina and her mother," Mrs. Leroy here told her son, at which, for all the imperturbability of his countenance, Alexina was conscious of something a little less happy about the son. "They're very good to come," he responded. The tone might be called guarded. Certain recollections were crowding upon Alexina. Mrs. Leroy's management, her housekeeping, even to a child's comprehension, had been palpably erratic and unexpected. The girl understood his masculine helplessness. Hers were the eyes that laughed now. "I've set the table in your house before," she informed him, "while you made toast." His countenance cleared. He met her gaze solemnly. "It's a bargain," he said. "What day, mother?" That night Alexina was chatting with Mr. Jonas. She liked him. "You said this morning," she reminded him, "that Mrs. Leroy was the wisest, foolishest mother--what did you mean?" "Just that," said Mr. Jonas. "Hasn't her very incompetency made the boy?" CHAPTER THREE For the next three days Mr. Henderson avoided them. He spoke in the hall or dining-room, to be sure, but joined them no more in plans or on the gallery. And Molly turned petulant. Why had they ever come to Aden, she moaned. "Can't you propose something, Malise?" she besought. Alexina, endeavouring to write letters, felt tired. She had been up at Molly's call a dozen times in the night. "We're going to spend to-morrow with Mrs. Leroy," she reminded her mother. "She looks like Mrs. Malaprop," said Molly crossly. The daughter's face flushed. Youth is rawly sensitive to ridicule of its friends. Besides, what would they find at Lake Nancy? It would be poor, she expected that, and it might be--pitiful? Not to her, not to her, but Molly was so unable to see behind things. If a thing was poor to Molly it was only poor and she said so. Alexina hoped her mother would not go. But when Friday came Molly, in feverish, restless state, was ready for anything and even brightened up over it, while it was Alexina who was petulant, and put on one dress and took it off, and tried another, even with William Leroy down-stairs in the wagonette, waiting. But she felt better as she came out into the sunshine and the dress she had finally decided on seemed to settle on her into sudden jauntiness. William shook hands. There was a comfortable sense of humour about him. "It's fair to divide families into component parts on occasions," he stated, and put Alexina in a place by his own and Molly behind. Molly pouted. "And, besides, we are going to drop Henderson at a sick parishioner's on the way," he said, with a naughty glance at her. "I met him starting to the livery stable just now and stopped him." Molly's face cleared. She met his eyes with insouciance, but, somehow, one felt all at once that she liked him better.