As she advanced to meet him with a child on either side, he was struck by certain changes which he observed in her dress and manner. She wore a dark, simple gown, her hair was dressed a trifle more closely and plainly than usual, and there was no color about her. When she gave him her hand, and stood with the other resting on Jack's shoulder, her eyes uplifted to his own, he was bewildered by a feeling that he was suddenly brought face to face with a creature quite strange to him. He could not have said that she was actually cold and reserved, but there was that in the quiet of her manner which suggested both reserve and coldness. "I have allowed the children to stay downstairs," she said, "and they are to dine with us if they will be good. They wished very much to see as much of you as possible--as it will be some time before they return--and I think they will be quiet." "If you will seat one on each side of me," said Tredennis, "I will keep them quiet." "You are very kind," she answered, "but I should scarcely like to do that." And then she returned to her seat by the window, and he sat opposite her on the end of a sofa, with Janey leaning against his knee. "You are not going to Fortress Monroe?" he said. "No," she replied; "I am going to the Virginia mountains." "I should think that would be better," he said, putting an arm around Janey. "I thought so," she answered, "upon reflection. I am not as strong as I should be, and I think I dislike ill-health even more than most people do." She held Jack's hand, and spoke in a quiet tone of common things,--of her plans for the summer, of the children, of Richard; and Tredennis listened like a man in a dream, missing the color and vivacity from her manner as he had known he should miss her presence from the rooms when she was gone. "Tell Uncle Philip something of what we are going to do," she said to Jack. "Tell him about the hammocks, and the spades we are to dig with, and the books. We are to live out of doors and enjoy ourselves immensely," she added, with a faint smile. "Mamma is going to play with us every day," said Jack, triumphantly. "And we are going to lie in our hammocks while she reads to us and tells us stories." "And there will be no parties and no company," added Janey. "Only we are to be the company." "And Jack is to take care of me," said Bertha, "because I am growing old, and he is so big." Jack regarded her dubiously. "You haven't any wrinkles," he said. "Yes, I have, Jack," she answered; "but they don't show." And a little laugh broke from her, and she let her cheek rest against his dark love-locks for a moment in a light caress. Glancing up at the colonel's face at this juncture, Janey found cause in it for serious dissatisfaction. She raised her hand, and drew a small forefinger across his forehead.