r at
Fairacres, not even excepting Cleena, who rose with the birds; and when
she opened her kitchen door, the sight of him pacing the grass-grown
driveway did not tend to put her in good humor.

But there was little danger of her breaking bounds again, in the matter
of behavior. A short talk had passed between her mistress and herself,
before they bade each other good night, that had not left the too
devoted servant very proud of her overzeal; and she now turned to her
stove to rattle off her indignation among its lids and grates. But she
kept "speakin' with herself," after her odd fashion, and her tone was
neither humble nor flattering.

"Arrah musha! The impidence of him! Hasn't he decency to wait till all's
over 'fore he struts about that gait? But, faith, an' I'll show him one
thing: that's as good a breakfast as ever he got in the old lady's time,
as one hears so much tell of."

Whereupon, with this praiseworthy ambition, a calm fell upon poor
Cleena's troubled spirit, and when, a couple of hours later, the family
assembled in the dining room, everybody was astonished at the feast
prepared; while all but the stranger knew that a week's rations had been
mortgaged to furnish that one meal. However, nobody made any comment,
though Mr. Wingate found in this show of luxury another explanation of
the Kayes' financial straits.

"Cuthbert will not be down this morning, Archibald. I hope thee rested
well. Hallam, will thee take thy father's place?"

Mrs. Kaye's manner, as she greeted her kinsman, betrayed little of what
must have been her real feeling toward him, nor had her children ever
seen her more composed and gentle, though Hallam noticed that she was
paler than ever, and that her eyes were dull, as if she had not slept.

"It's going to be a miserable day outside," remarked the guest, a little
stiffly.

"Inside, too, I fancy," answered Amy. "I hate undecided things. I like
either a cheerful downpour or else sunshine. I think wobbly weather is
as bad as wobbly folks--trying to a body's temper."

Mr. Wingate laughed, though rather harshly. Amy was already his favorite
in that household, and he reflected that under different circumstances
than those which brought him to Fairacres, he would have found her very
interesting.

"The weather should not be allowed to affect one's spirits," said Mrs.
Kaye.

"No, mother; I suppose not. Yet, it was so pretty here, last night; and
now the leaves over the windows are al