ing sunlight, Pan, Mr. G. Bird, and I were married.

Did Pan allow me to stay and make satisfactory explanations of my conduct
to my friends and enjoy the wedding festivities so carefully copied out of
the "Review" by Polly and Matthew? He did not. Immediately after the
ceremony he picked up his two bundles and turned to all of our assembled
friends.

"We'll be back in a few weeks, and then I'll show you what I learned in
Argentina. We have to hurry now to get across the valley. Some of the fine
sheep over at Plunkett's are down with foot rash, and I want to be there by
noon. Luck to you all." With these words Pan led me around the corner of
the house, through the old garden, and out into the woods, Mr. G. Bird
still following at the smock-pocket.

"We'll have to go back and lock him up; he'll follow me," I said, as I
paused and took the Golden Bird's proud head in my hand and let him peck at
a dull gold circle on my third finger, which, I am sure, Pan himself had
hammered out of a nugget for me.

"No, let's take him. I want to show him over at Plunkett's and then in
Providence and Hillsboro, to grade up their poultry. I doubt if there's his
equal in America," answered Pan as he went on ahead of me to break the
undergrowth into which he was leading me underneath the huge old trees.

"I didn't write you to let that fool Belgian prune the whole place like
that," Pan remarked as we paused at old Tilting Rock and looked down upon
the orderly and repaired Elmnest in the sunset glow.

"Write?" I murmured weakly, while my mind accused Uncle Cradd, and rightly
too, as I learned later after a search in his pockets.

"Wasn't any use sending any letter after that New Orleans one, because I
traveled on the return trip all the way myself. Still you did pretty well
to get the wedding and all ready at the hour I set, even if you did make
that awful flummery mistake. I'll forgive you even that after I get over
the shock of seeing you look that way."

"The hour you set?" I again murmured a weak question.

"I thought of writing you to get ready by nine o'clock in the morning, but
I knew I'd have to stop in Hayesville for that bit of red tape, so I said
five o'clock and had to hustle to make it. I knew you'd be ready. Now
you'll have to travel, for we have five miles to go and it takes the pot
two hours to simmer. Are you hungry?"

I hadn't the strength to answer. I had just enough to pad along behind at
his heels with Mr. G. Bi