to the wider--ah, how much wider!--as much wider and larger
and more beautiful as wifehood at its best is wider and larger and
more beautiful than maidenhood at its best--to the wider accommodation
of the Red House. And Mrs. Carre was determined that it should be
speckless and sweet, and fit in every way for the coming of so
beautiful a bride.

She had found them a young girl, Betsy Lefevre, a niece of her own, to
serve as handmaid during their occupancy of the house, but insisted
herself on acting as cook and general housekeeper. Miss Penny was to
reside at the cottage for a week after the wedding, but was to go up
the garden to her meals, and at the end of that time she was to join
them at the Red House as an honoured guest.

And the kitchen at the cottage, and the kitchen at the House, and
several other kitchens in the neighbourhood, were baking gache enough
apparently to feed a regiment, and as the day approached, roasts of
beef and mutton, and hams and other substantial fare, were much in
evidence. And the kitchens were thronged with ladies in sun-bonnets,
which had originally been black but were now somewhat off-colour with
age and weather, and all the ladies' faces were as full of importance
as if they had been Cabinet ministers in the throes of a crisis.

Among these concentric energies, Margaret and Miss Penny completed
their own simple preparations, and Graeme busied himself with the
details of the children's feast which was to take place in an adjacent
field.

He went down to the harbour to meet the Tuesday morning's boat which
was to bring over the fruit and frivolities ordered from
Guernsey--strawberries enough to start a jam factory, grapes enough to
stock a greengrocer's shop, chocolates, sweets, Christmas crackers and
fancy biscuits, in what he hoped would prove sufficiency, but had his
doubts at times when he saw the eager expectancy with which he was
regarded by every youngster he met.

He was just starting out when Johnnie Vautrin hailed him from his lair
in the hedge.

"Heh, Mist' Graeme! I seen--"

"Better not, Johnnie!" he said, with a warning finger. "If it's
anything uncomfortable I'll come right over and jump on you and
Marrlyou."

"Goderabetin, you dassen't!"

"Oh, dassen't I? If you don't see everything good for this week, and
fine weather too, you little imp, I'll--"

"Que-hou-hou!" croaked Johnnie, and Marielihou yawned and made a
futile attempt to wash behind her ears but foun