peared it had sometimes
pained me to imagine strangers in my home; but no such thought crossed
my mind in regard to this young lady, who, if charming in the house and
on the lawn, grew positively entrancing when she saw my Jersey cows and
my two horses, regarding them with an admiration which even surpassed
my own.

Long before we had completed the tour of inspection I had made up my
mind that this young lady should come to live in my house. If
obstacles should show themselves they should be removed. I would tear
down, I would build, I would paper and paint, I would put in all sorts
of electric bells, I would reduce the rent until it suited their
notions exactly, I would have my horses' tails banged if she liked that
kind of tails better than long ones--I would do anything to make them
definitely decide to take the place before they left me. I trembled to
think of her going elsewhere and giving other householders a chance to
tempt her. She had looked at a good many country houses, but it was
quite plain that none of them had pleased her so well as mine.

I left them in my library to talk the matter over by themselves, and in
less than ten minutes the young lady herself came out on the lawn to
tell me that her father and mother had decided to take the place and
would like to speak with me.

"I am so glad," she said as we went in. "I am sure I shall enjoy every
hour of our stay here. It is so different from anything we have yet
seen."

When everything had been settled I wanted to take them again over the
place and point out a lot of things I had omitted. I particularly
wanted to show them some lovely walks in the woods. But there was no
time, for they had to catch a train.

Her name was Vincent--Cora Vincent, as I discovered from her mother's
remarks.

As soon as they departed I had my mare saddled and rode into town to
see my agent. I went into his office exultant.

"I've let my house," I said, "and I want you to make out the lease and
have everything fixed and settled as soon as possible. This is the
address of my tenants."

The agent asked me a good many questions, being particularly anxious to
know what rent had been agreed upon.

"Heavens!" he exclaimed, when I mentioned the sum, "that is ever so
much less than I told you you could get. I am in communication now
with a party whom I know would pay you considerably more than these
people. Have you definitely settled with them? Perhaps it is not