not say so.
Indeed she said nothing. She was thinking: "Perhaps he went in to see
my father, knowing I was away."

And so he had, for when they went into the hall they heard his voice,
indeed several voices in the sitting-room. But they went first
up-stairs to take off their wraps in Miss Elizabeth's room, and came
down just in time to find the tea-table ready, and the company waiting
for them. There was coffee on the table too, for Mr Burnet was there,
and Sally knew his tastes.

"There! You feel better, don't you?" said Miss Betsey, who was the
first to notice their entrance. "You look better, anyway."

"Like two roses," said Mr Burnet.

Elizabeth laughed and thanked him, and then shook hands with Mr
Maxwell.

"I hope you have had a good time, daughter. I have," said the squire.

"Yes. I see you have had company."

"Yes, Betsey is always good company. Mr Maxwell came when he saw you
pass down the street. He didn't know Betsey was here, and he thought I
might be lonesome."

"It was very kind," said Elizabeth.

All the rest sat down, but Mr Maxwell continued standing. The squire
would not listen to him, when he said that doubtless his tea would be
waiting for him at home, but urged him almost petulantly to remain.

"Lizzie, why don't you ask the minister to stay?"

For Elizabeth was listening to something that Mr Burnet was saying to
Katie, but she turned round when her father spoke to her.

"We haven't Mr Burnet and Cousin Betsey here very often, Mr Maxwell.
You might stay to-night for their sakes."

So he stayed, and the squire had a good time still, and so had all the
rest, it seemed, for they were in no haste to leave the table till Sally
came to take the things away. When she came in again it was to say that
"Ben had been waiting for his Aunt Betsey for the biggest part of an
hour, and it was getting on for nine o'clock." Even then Miss Betsey
seemed in no hurry to go, but when she went, Mr Burnet went also, and
Elizabeth went out of the room with her cousin, and did not come back
for what seemed to Katie a long time. Her father was tired and she went
out with him afterward. Mr Maxwell talked with Katie a while, about
her mother and her grandparents, about Davie and his bees, and the work
that had occupied him all the winter, and then he sat for a long time
looking into the fire in silence. When Miss Elizabeth came in again he
rose to go away.

"It is not very late," said she.

"N