d sallow and pale gave place to the clear rich
colour of health.

Asahel was her general companion in the boat. Sometimes her
cousin condescended to enjoy a sail of a summer's evening, but
for the most part Asahel and Elizabeth went alone. Miss
Cadwallader would neither row nor ride, and was very apt to
eschew walking, unless a party were going along.

Over her books Elizabeth luxuriated all the rest of the time.
Morning, noon, and night. The labour of talking she left to
her cousin, who took to it kindly, and speedily made herself
very popular. And there was certainly something very pleasant
in her bright smile, always ready, and in her lovely face; and
something pleasant too in her exceeding dainty and pretty
manner of dressing. She fascinated the children's eyes, and if
truth be told, more than the children. She seemed to have a
universal spirit of good-humour. She never was so fast in a
book but she would leave it to talk to the old or play with
the young; and her politeness was unfailing. Elizabeth gave no
trouble, but she seemed to have as little notion of giving
pleasure; except to herself. _That_ she did perfectly and
without stop. For the rest, half the time she hardly seemed to
know what was going on with the rest of the world.

So the summer wore on, with great comfort to most parties.
Perhaps Winthrop was an exception. He had given comfort, if he
had not found it. He had been his mother's secret stand-by; he
had been her fishmonger, her gamekeeper, her head gardener,
her man-at-need in all manner of occasions. His own darling
objects meanwhile were laid upon the shelf. He did his best.
But after a day's work in the harvest field, and fishing for
eels off the rocks till nine o'clock at night, what time was
there for Virgil or Graeca Minora? Sometimes he must draw up
his nets in the morning before he went to the field; and the
fish must be cleaned after they were taken. Sometimes a half
day must be spent in going after fruit. And whenever the farm
could spare him for a longer time, he was off to the woods
with his gun; to fetch home rabbits at least, if no other game
was to be had. But all the while his own ground lay waste. To
whomsoever the summer was good, he reckoned it a fruitless
summer to him.

In the multitude of their enjoyments of out-door things, the
girls took very naturally to the unwonted ways and usages of
the country household. The farm living and the farm hours
seemed to have no disgu