march, is it? I suspected as much. But I think
you are pretty hard on Hessie. She means well, and she's not a bad sort,
though I say it as shouldn't."

Edith made no answer.

"Why don't you try and make the best of things? I always do. It doesn't
really pay to do anything else."

"Very good philosophy. But if you have come out merely to lecture me on
my duties as a step-daughter, I think we may as well turn round and go
home again."

"Oh, come off, Edith! You're a nice girl in the main, and I think it's a
howling shame for you to make yourself so mighty offish and disagreeable
to Hessie. Why, if any one ought to mind it--her marrying, I mean--I'm
the one. It makes a big difference to me."

"Will you let me get out and walk home, if you have not the grace to
drive me there? You have no manner of right to talk to me this way."

"I know I haven't, and I'm awfully sorry if I've offended you. I'm
afraid I have. You'll forgive me, Edith, please! Don't go home. I've put
my foot in it, like the great awkward fellow I am. But I hate to see
things all at sixes and sevens the way they are, and I thought perhaps
if I told you what Hessie really is you would feel differently. If you
only knew what a good sister she's been to me! You know our father and
mother died when I was a little duffer, and Hessie's been an A1 sister
ever since. Our grandmother didn't take much stock in me because I was a
boy, but Hessie always stood up for me. It's natural I should take her
side. I hate to see any one dislike her. But I see it's no use, and I'm
sorry I spoke. But, say, you will excuse me, Edith. You don't like it,
and I ought not to have said anything, and I apologize."

This was Neal in a new light. Edith was astonished. She had supposed
that he was only a rollicking boy, too lazy to amount to anything, and
too fond of a joke to think of the more serious side of life.

She hesitated. She was very angry with him. Of course he had no business
to speak to her on this subject, but he was evidently sorry. His brown
eyes looked very repentant, and there was not a shadow of a smile in
them.

"Come now, Edith," he urged, "do it up handsomely, and forgive and
forget. Give me your hand on it."

And Edith did so, and with difficulty repressed a shriek at the hearty
squeeze that was given it. And just as they had reached this point in
their conversation there was a sudden crash. Off went the wheel, and
down went buggy, Edith, and Neal in a h