Trumet. Neither she
nor Captain Dan referred to the subject again. Mrs. Dott was, to tell
the truth, just a bit frightened; she did not understand her husband's
sudden outbreak of determination. And yet the explanation was simple
enough. So long as he was the only sufferer, so long as only his own
preferences and wishes were pushed aside for those of his wife or
daughter, he was meekly passive or, at the most, but moderately
rebellious; here, however, was an injustice--or what he considered an
injustice--done to someone else, and he "put his foot down" for once, at
least.

So, upon the fateful day when, preceded by a wagonload of trunks and
bags and boxes, the Dotts once more drove through Scarford's streets
to the mansion which was to be their home--permanently, according to
Serena; temporarily, so her husband hoped--Azuba accompanied them. And
Azuba was wildly excited and tirelessly voluble. Even Captain Dan, the
long-suffering, grew weary of her exclamations and chatter at last.

"Say, Zuba," he remonstrated, "is this an all-day service you're givin'
us? If it is, I wish you'd take up a collection or somethin', for a
change. Mrs. Dott and I are gettin' sort of tired of the sermon."

"Why--why, what do you mean? I was only just sayin' I never see so many
folks all at once since that time I was at the Brockton cattle show.
I'll bet there's a million right on this street."

"I'll take the bet. Now you start in and count 'em, and let's see who
wins. Count 'em to yourself, that's all I ask."

Azuba, with an indignant toss of the "made-over" hat, subsided for the
time. But the sight of the Aunt Lavinia mansion, with Mr. Hapgood bowing
a welcome from the steps, was too much for her.

"Oh!" she burst forth. "Oh! you don't mean to tell me THAT'S it! Why,
it's perfectly grand! And--and there's the minister comin' to call
already! Ain't it LOVELY!"

That night, as they sat down for the first meal in the new abode, a meal
cooked by Azuba and served by the light-footed, soft-spoken, deft-handed
Hapgood, Serena voiced the exultation she felt.

"There, Daniel," she observed, beaming across the table at her husband,
"now you begin to appreciate what it means, don't you. NOW you begin to
see the difference."

Captain Dan, glancing up at the obsequious Hapgood standing at his
elbow, hesitated.

"Yes, sir?" said Mr. Hapgood anxiously. "What is it you wish, sir?"

"Nothin', nothin'. Why, yes, I tell you: You go out and--and