a heap happier in the old graveyard than in Happy House,
'lowin' as how both feet are in the grave anyway. But this ain't no
cheerful talk to hand out to you, Miss, only I cal'late you'll make
Miss Milly a heap happier--shut up the way she is."

"How far are we from Freedom?" asked Nancy, abruptly, thinking as she
did so that, if they were a very long way, she would have an
opportunity to learn from her garrulous friend all she needed to know!

"Two mile from the turn yonder by the oak," the old man answered.

For a few moments both maintained a deep silence. Nancy, her thoughts
in a tumult, was wondering what question she would ask first--there was
so much she wanted to know--the "trouble," "Miss Milly and the sword of
wrath" or what he meant by "Happy House." The last post stirred her
curiosity; then, too, it did not seem just nice to pry from this old
man.

"Why do they call the Leavitt place 'Happy House'?"

"Wal, I guess it ain't because it's exactly _happy_, and some sez mebbe
as how it's been a curse! Folks comes here to Freedom and looks at the
old place and there's somethin' printed about it in a little book they
sell up at Tobiases in Nor' Hero, only I ain't much on the readin'.
B'lindy Guest knows the story by heart, and she can tell you more'n I
can."

"Oh, _please_, Webb, I can't make head or tail out of what you are
saying," laughed Nancy pleadingly. "Who _called_ it Happy House first?"

"B'lindy sez the book sez that it was the first Anne Leavitt as come to
Nor' Hero called it Happy House and they hed one of these here mantels
made out o' marble over in London and fetched across with the letters
right in it spellin' Happy House! And she helped fix it up with her
own hands she'd kind o' set such store by the idee, right thar in the
settin' room and the very next day she slipped off sudden like and died
like a poor little flower. And there ain't been much happiness in
Happy House from them days since! B'lindy knows the hul story; jes'
'sits written."

"Oh, how _thrilling_!" cried Nancy, breathing very fast. She had an
uncontrollable desire to halt Webb and the Freedom stage right on the
spot in order to write to Claire Wallace. But at that moment, around
the turn by the old oak galloped a horse and rider. Because it was the
first living creature Nancy had seen since leaving North Hero, she was
startled.

"_Hey_ there, Webb," the rider cried, whirling out of the path of the
old wagon.