But she was too dear and precious----! So he just said, gently, "And
I'm glad to be at home, my dear," and they walked to the window
together, and stood looking out at the moon. Behind them the old eagle
watched with outstretched wings, the great free bird which we stamp on
American silver, backed with "In God We Trust." It is not a bad
combination, and things in this country might, perhaps, have been less
chaotic if we had taught new-comers to link love of God with love of
liberty.

"Mr. Dalton is coming to see the birds," said Becky, and in a moment
she had spoiled everything for Randy.

"Is that why you put on your blue dress?"

She was honest. "I am not sure. Perhaps."

"Yet you thought the old white one was good enough for me."

"Well, don't you like me just as well in my old white as in this?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, then," Becky was triumphant, "why should I bother to change for
you, Randy, when you like me just as well in anything?"

The argument was unanswerable, but Randy was not satisfied. "It is a
mistake," he said, "not to be as like to old friends as new ones."

"But I am nice. You said so yourself this afternoon. That I was sugar
and spice and everything--nice----"

Ha laughed. "You are, of course. And I didn't come all the way from
France to quarrel with you----"

"We've always quarreled, Randy."

"I wonder why?"

"Sister Loretto says that people only argue when they like each other.
Otherwise they wouldn't want to convince."

"Do you quarrel with Sister Loretto?"

"Of course not. Nuns don't. But she writes notes when she doesn't
agree with me--little sermons--and pins them on my pillow. She's a
great dear. She hates to have me leave the school. She has the
feeling that the world is a dark forest, and that I am Red Riding Hood,
and that the Wolf will get me."

II

Dalton found them all at dinner when he reached Huntersfield. He was
not in the least prepared for the scene which met his eyes--shining
mahogany, old silver and Sheffield, tall white candles, Calvin in a
snowy jacket, Mrs. Beaufort and Mrs. Paine in low-necked gowns, the
Judge and Randy in dinner-coats somewhat the worse for wear, Becky in
thin, delicate blue, with a string of pearls which seemed to George an
excellent imitation of the real thing.

He had thought that the trail of Mrs. Paine's boarding-house might be
over it all. He had known boarding-houses as a boy, before his father
made his mon