had gone back to his
study, "I've been thinking--Suppose we get Hilary to pretend--that
coming home is coming to a _new_ place? That she is coming to visit
us? We'll think up all the interesting things to do, that we can, and
the pretty places to show her."

"That would be a good plan, Pauline."

"And if she's company, she'll have to have the spare room," Patience
added.

"Jolly for you, Patience!" Pauline said. "Only, mother, Hilary doesn't
like the spare room; she says it's the dreariest room in the house."

"If she's company, she'll have to pretend to like it, it wouldn't be
good manners not to," Patience observed. The prospect opening out
ahead of them seemed full of delightful possibilities. "I hope Miranda
catches on to the game, and gives us pound-cake and hot biscuits for
supper ever so often, and doesn't call me to do things, when I'm busy
entertaining 'the company.'"

"Mother," Pauline broke in--"do keep quiet. Impatience--couldn't we do
the spare room over--there's that twenty-five dollars? We've planned
it so often."

"We might make some alterations, dear--at least."

"We'll take stock the first thing to-morrow morning. I suppose we
can't really start in before Monday."

"Hardly, seeing that it is Friday night."

They were still talking this new idea over, though Patience had been
sent to bed, when Mr. Shaw came in from a visit to a sick parishioner.
"We've got the most beautiful scheme on hand, father," Pauline told
him, wheeling forward his favorite chair. She hoped he would sit down
and talk things over with them, instead of going on to the study; it
wouldn't be half as nice, if he stayed outside of everything.

"New schemes appear to be rampant these days," Mr. Shaw said, but he
settled himself comfortably in the big chair, quite as though he meant
to stay with them. "What is this particular one?"

He listened, while Pauline explained, really listened, instead of
merely seeming to. "It does appear an excellent idea," he said; "but
why should it be Hilary only, who is to try to see Winton with new eyes
this summer? Suppose we were all to do so?"

Pauline clapped her hands softly. "Then you'll help us? And we'll all
pretend. Maybe Uncle Paul's thought isn't such a bad one, after all."

"Paul always believed in developing the opportunities nearest hand,"
Mr. Shaw answered. He stroked the head Towser laid against his knee.
"Your mother and I will be the gainers--if we keep all