in a valley of the North.
Then there's no drink as refreshing as the tea with the taste of wood
smoke I drank from a blackened can."

"It didn't often taste of smoke," Carrie objected.

"Carrie can cook; she owes that to me," Mrs. Winter interposed. "She
was ambitious when she was young and declared she had no use for
studying things like that, but I was firm."

"I wonder whether she's ambitious now," Jim remarked.

"I've got wise," said Carrie. "I know where I belong."

Mrs. Winter looked at them as if she were puzzled, and Jim knitted his
brows.

"I don't know where I belong. That's the trouble, because it may hurt
to find out. But how have you been getting on while I was away?"

"Trade's pretty good, thank you," Carrie replied. "We have sold as
much sweet truck as I could bake. The groceries have kept Belle
hustling."

"Shucks!" said Jim, impatiently, and turned to Jake. "You ought to
make your mother sell out."

"He tried," said Mrs. Winter. "I won't sell. Jake has some money now,
but he's not rich and may hit a streak of bad luck. My children must
go out and fight for all they get, but I want them to know there's a
little house in the home town where they can come back if they're hurt
and tired. Besides, I've kept store so long I've got the habit.
Anyhow, you have told us nothing about your business and we're curious."

"Jake and Carrie don't look curious," Jim remarked dryly. "Well, I
went to the lawyer's room, mornings, and answered his questions, read
the night-letters the Montreal office sent him, and waited for replies
to their English cablegrams."

"But what did he say about your claim?"

"I don't know if it will interest your son and daughter, but I'll tell
you. There are some formalities yet, but the fellow seems satisfied
I'm Joseph Dearham's heir, and I'm going to England soon. Whether I'll
stay or not is another thing. Well, we had arranged for a long
holiday, and I don't mean to be cheated. I'm going to take you all to
the Old Country."

Carrie colored, but Jake smiled. "Did you tell the lawyer about this
plan?"

"I did not," said Jim, with a rather haughty look that Carrie thought
was new. "Langrigg is mine. It's my pleasure to show it to my
friends."

Mrs. Winter looked disturbed. "You are kind, Jim, but I'm an old woman
and have never gone far from home. Your relations mightn't like me."

"I don't know yet if my relations will like me. Anyhow, they have got