ayed
away from us so long! Did nursing take so much time to learn? Now that
you're back," her voice grew tender, "I do hope you and Jeb--well, you
know that it was your dear mother's wish, and his dear mother's wish,
Marian."

"Please don't," the girl interrupted hastily. "I've heard that a
thousand times. Besides, Jeb and I were only four months old when our
mothers died; and besides that," she smiled prettily, "Jeb has surely
recovered from his silly notions by now."

"Jeb will entertain whatever notions I tell him to," Miss Sallie
declared with vigor.

"Then I don't want to see him," Marian laughed, though with not enough
conviction, perhaps, to keep Miss Sallie from darting a look of
encouragement at her sister, who, failing to understand it, observed:

"Colonel Hampton just passed before you came; did you see him?"

"No!--bless his old heart! How is he?--quite as foolishly angry with my
father as ever, I suppose?"

"He's not all to blame for that." Miss Sallie compressed her lips. "Your
father, my dear, is as good a hater as he is an editor."

"Which is going some," Marian laughed.

"Going how?" Miss Veemie asked, protestingly.

"I must say," Miss Sallie interposed, "that the Colonel has been a
devoted friend to Jeb!"

"And I'm devoted to the Colonel," Marian quickly replied, as though her
loyalty had been challenged. "You both know how I've deplored that
quarrel--why, it started long, long before I was born, and I'm sure
they've forgotten its origin!"

"Politics! Wretched politics," Miss Sallie sighed. "I've often thought,
my child, how easily you might re-cement their friendship." She looked
wistfully at the girl, who asked in all sincerity:

"How?"

"The Colonel is so fond of Jeb, and you are your father's only child!
Can't you just fancy them clasping hands beneath a wedding bell of
beautiful lilies?"

"It's easier to fancy them quarreling again the next day! No," she began
to laugh delightedly, "if you're so set on having a wedding, marry them
to each other; then they can fuss to their heart's content and nobody
will mind. There, forgive me!" she cried, putting her arms about Miss
Veemie, who was taking this seriously, and almost gasping for breath, "I
was horrid to joke about it! But you mustn't let Miss Sallie put those
silly thoughts on Jeb and me, really! Remember, I've been away two
years--two years this very sixth of April--and see how we've both
improved!"

There might have been a s