RE"

"Wonder where Phoebe went to," remarked Mr. Tidditt, a little later. "I
thought I saw her with Heman and Georgianna on the front steps when we
drove up."

"She was there," affirmed the housekeeper. "She'd been helpin' me trim
up the rooms here. What do you think of 'em, Cap'n Cyrus? Ain't they
pretty?"

The sitting room and dining room were gay with evergreens and
old-fashioned flowers. Our living room windows in the winter time are
usually filled with carefully tended potted plants, and the neighbors
had loaned their geraniums and fuchsias and heliotrope and begonias to
brighten the Whittaker house for its owner's return. Captain Cy, who
was sitting in the rocker, with Bos'n on his knee, looked about him.
Now that the first burst of excitement was over, he seemed grave and
preoccupied.

"They look mighty pretty, Georgianna," he said. "Fine enough. But what
was that you just said? Did--"

"Yup," interrupted Miss Taylor, who had scarcely ceased talking since
breakfast that morning. "Yes, 'twas teacher that helped fix 'em. Not
that I wouldn't have got along without her, but I had more to do than a
little, cleanin' and scrubbin' up. So Phoebe she come in, and--Oh! yes,
as I was sayin', she was out front with me, but the minute your carriage
drove up with that lovely span--AIN'T that a fine span! I cal'late
they're--"

"What become of teacher?" broke in Bailey.

"Why, she run off somewheres. I didn't see where she went to; I was too
busy hollerin' at Cap'n Whittaker and noticin' that span. I bet you they
made Angie Phinney's eyes stick out. I guess she realizes that we in
this house are some punkins now. If I don't lord it over her when I run
acrost her these days, then I miss my guess. I--"

"Belay!" ordered Captain Cy, his gravity more pronounced than ever. "How
does it happen that you--See here, Georgianna, did you tell Ph--er--Miss
Dawes what I told you to tell her when I went away?"

"Why, yes, I told her. I hated to, dreadful, but I done it. She was
awful set back at fust, but I guess she asked Mr. Tidditt--Where you
goin', Mr. Tidditt?"

The town clerk, his face red, was on his way to the door.

"Asked Ase?" repeated the captain. "Ase, come here! Did you tell her
anything?"

Asaph was very much embarrassed.

"Well," he stammered, "I didn't mean to, Cy, but she got to askin' me
questions, and somehow or nother I did tell her about our confab, yours
and mine. I told her that I knew folks was ta