anor House, quite as they would have done had Lucy been a boy and the expected function one given in honor of the youthful heir's majority. Most of them had know

had often been the scene of many of the festivities and social events following the conclusion of peace and for many years thereafter: the rooms were still pointed out in which Washington

e was left except the Manor House, greatly out of repair, and some invested property which brought in but a modest income. On his death-bed Morton Cobden's last words were a prayer to Jane, then eighteen, that she w

he fashionable boarding-schools of Philadelphia, there to study "music and French," and to perfect herself in that "grace of manner and charm of conversation," which the two maiden ladies who presided over its fortunes claim

ght out and placed on the sideboard and serving-tables; a wood fire was started (the nights were yet cold), its cheery blaze lighting up the brass fender and andirons before which many of Colonel Cobden's cronies had t

alls, when the door opened softly and Martha-the old nurse had for years been treated as a member of the family-stepped in, bowing and curtsying as would an old woman in a play, the skirt of her new black silk gown that Ann Gossaway had made for her held out between

g herself about. "Do ye know, I never thought that skinny dressmaker could do half as wel

answered Jane in all sincerity, as she made a

ye ought to hear her laughin' at the cap. Is there anything the matter wi

saw you look so well," replied Jane, as she moved a jar from a table and placed it on the ma

ith a half circle in the air-"and the way she's plumped out-not in one place, but all over-well, I tell ye, ye'd be astonished! She knows it, too, b

and back; her spare throat and neck, straight arms, thin wrists and hands-transparent hands, though exquisitely wrought, as were those of all her race-all so expressive of high breeding and refinement, carried with them none of the illusions of beauty. The mould of the head, moreover, even when softened by her smooth chestnut hair, worn close

the sort of woman one hoped she would be, a quick responsiveness to any confidence, all so captivating and so satisfying that 'those who knew her forgot her slight physical shortcoming

does a lantern-a light betokening not only uncontrollable tenderness but unspeakable pride, dimmed now and then when some word or act of her charge brought her face to face with the weight of the responsibility resting upo

, her skin as pink as a shell; plump as a baby, and as fair, and yet with the form of a wood-nymph; dressed in a clinging, soft gown, the sleeves caught up at the shoulders revealing her beautiful arms, a spray of blossoms on her bosom, her b

ing in a sloppy little washroom. Oh, I'm so happy! I can't realize it's all true." As she spoke she raised herself on her toes so that she could see her face in the mirror over the

Jane with a smile, as she bent over a table and pushed back som

t around like a cat. She'd tell on anybody. We had a play one night in my room after lights were out, and Maria Collins was Claude Melnotte and I was Pauline. Maria had a mustache blackened on her lips with a piece of burnt cork and I was all fixed up in a dressing-gown and sash. We never heard Jonesy till she put her hand on th

nk ye're a real livin' princess stepped out of a picture-book." M

tiny Spanish curls she had flattened against her temples. "They are for Bart Holt, and I'm

Uncle Ephraim and-who's that comin' this early?" and the old nurse paused and listened to a heavy step on the porch. "It must be

on-gray hair standing straight up on his head like a shoe-brush, dressed in a short pea-j

back again? Where are ye? By jingo! let me look at you. Why! why! why! Did you ever! What have you been doing to yourself, lassie, that you should

was turning her about as if she had

anged, Cap

ell! WELL!" He was still twisting her around. "She does ye proud, Martha," he called to the old nurse, who was just leaving

n't it

in' the young fellers crazy 'bout here before

Doctor John, greeted Jane as if she had been a duchess, bowing low as he approached her, his eyes drinking in her every movem

o well. Poor Martha has been on pins and needles waiting for you. I told her just how it would be-that she

gan to cry, just as they al

sed her in his heart on the ground of her youth a

he asked, scanning

ls him-but he's the uglies

t is left of him is the funniest thing alive. He's better t

this morning that he mustn't poke his nose int

he protested with a tender tone in

fessional career not to know something of what lay at the botto

; "no, I don't," and she knit her brow a

east. The curve of her back, the round of the hip; the way her moulded shoulders rose above the lace of her bodice; the bare, full arms tapering to the wrists;-the color, the movement, the grace of it all had taken away his breath. With only a side nod of recognition toward Jane,

"you haven't forgotten me, Miss Lucy, have you? We used to play

coquettish way. His frankness pleased her; so d

urls, searching brown eyes, wavering mouth, broad shoulders, and shapely body, down to his small, well-turned feet. The young fellow lacked the polish and well-bred grace of the doctor, just as he lacked his well-cut clothes and

s eyes were still drinking in the beauty of the girl

he replied, with a laugh t

his attention and the little curves under her dimpled chi

n-the way his cravat was tied and the part of his hair. She thought he had well-shaped

here," he continued as he drew her to a sof

ehaved towards her-not asking her permission, but taking the responsibility and by his manner compelling a sort of

e? I like to hear about girls' scrapes. We had plenty of them at college, but I couldn't tell you hal

head and glanced at the blossoms on her breas

rs watching you every minute," said Bart, moving nearer to her

on." Then she added coyly, "I don't know whether yo

tell an

do I

as if he were taking an oath. He was getting more interested now in her talk; up to

e you won't tell sister, she's so easily shocked?" The tone w

t cast up

and got a big piece of gingerbread apiece. We were all eating away hard as we could when we saw Miss Sarah coming.

rape. From what he had seen of her he had supposed her adv

my pocket," he replied, sliding down on the sofa

iggsey got a dreadful scolding. She wasn't li

of the fellows come to

tried to pass one of her beaux, Max Feilding, off as a cousin, but

lf from his position and twisting his body so he could again l

she not only quite believed it, but ra

g over now, toying with the lace that clung to Lucy's arms. "Di

pletely absorbed in each other, to the exclusion of the oth

le he whispered to her in return, and in obedience to the summons crossed the room to meet a group of the neighbors, among them old Judge Woolworthy, in a snuff-colored coat, high black stock,

companied by her two daughters-slim, awkward girls, both dressed alike in high waists and short frocks; and after them the Bunsbys, father, mother, and son-all smiles, the last a painfully thin young lawyer, in a low collar and a shock of whitey-brown hair, "looking like a p

ive manner had said she grew more and more like her mother every day-which was a flight of imagination on the part of the dear man, for she didn't resemble her in the least; and the two thin girls had remarked that it must be so "perfectly blissful" to get home; and the young lawyer had complimented her on her wonderful, al

ncocting polite speeches for her guests the other was absorbed in the fear that Bart would either get tired of waiting for

platitudes and themselves. He had encouraged her to talk of HERSELF and of the things she liked. He had, too, about him a

ung lawyer would tell her it was so nice to have her back, s

I offer you my arm? Excuse me, Bunsby-

into Bart's, and aske

oing to let that tow-head monopolize you?" he answer

ver seen anybody so conceited, and if he only knew, she might really prefer the 'tow head' to his own;" to which Bart answered that his only excuse was that he was so lonely he was

another for her pretty feet. "You don't act a bit like Miss Jane." As he spoke he leaned forward and flicked an im

t his attentions and thankin

rls who turn out to be solemn after you know them a while; I w

ays you and she are great friends," she replied wit

are always thinking you mean a lot of things when you're only trying to be nice and friendly to them. I like to be a brother to a girl and to go sailing with her, and fishin

ughed Lucy, looking at him ou

o you mind little

often cause a woman to wonder whether some part of her toilet has not been carelessly put together. Then he added, with a sudden

on, but this way of expressing it was new to her. The young man caught the movement and recovered himself.

tened up. "We've got a lot in our orchard. You like flowers, I see." T

, almost apologetic voice. She was sorry she had misjudged

y to me before; but then it makes a good deal of diffe

ed her. Instinctively she glanced about the room, wondering if any of her guests had seen it. That Lucy did not

moving toward her, "bring Bart ov

minute," Bart answered in Lucy's stead. The

ve me half th

uld spoil

eas

ne. You wouldn't ca

tched out his hand and touch

with a triumphant curtsy and a "No, you don't, sir-

ing to Uncle Ephraim's stories and joining in the laughter which every now and then filled the room. Captain Nat was deep in a disc

the older Miss Cromartin and Bart soon following with Lucy:-the outer porch and the long walk down the garden path a

ews and while Mrs. Benson was talking to the pastor, Doctor

d?" she asked, motioning the

ossed over the other and hanging straight beside its fellow; only a man like the doctor, of more than usual repose and of a certain elegance of form, Jane always said, could sit this wa

th a nervous start. "I don't know w

yourself. You are too good to do otherwise." He spoke with a slight qu

on her fan. "And now tell me," she added quickly, raising her eyes to his as if to bar any further tribute he might be

ashioned notions nowadays." He laughed-a mellow, genial

to go?" she asked, h

ook after the people here if I went away. You don't want

lied, parrying the question, h

Jane's shoulder, whispered something in her ear. The doc

" Jane whispered in return, looking up into

nd there's mighty little on her neck, and she ought to c

ed, her face showing her sur

don't care who he gives cold. I told her s

wn. Then raising her voice so that the doctor could be brought into the co

to the doctor as if to get his assistance

ghtly and turned

g them all in, or you may have s

bt as to the cause of his selection, but Jane'

ke to be told what's good for them," he added with a laugh, rising from his seat. "And after that you'll per

in a few minutes." Her voice had lost its buoyancy now. She never wante

annot." All his heart was

ill?" s

s pulse was not right, he's a sturdy little chap with a thick neck, and that kind always suffers mo

taining the doctor's hand in

Good-night," and with a smile

back to the pantry to direct the servants in arranging upon the small table in the supp

e doctor's interference), Jane's long red cloak draped from her shoulders, the hood hanging down her back, her cheeks radiant, her beautiful blond hair

blossoms which had rested upon Lucy's b