en-brown
beeches. The purplish haze of a sunny autumn day mellowed over the
fields, and the bunch of golden rod at my companion's belt was akin to
the plumed ranks along the fences. I hazarded the remark that it was a
fine day; Miss Ashley gravely admitted that it was. Then a deep smile
seemed to rise somewhere in her eyes and creep over her face,
discovering a dimple here and there as it proceeded.

"Don't let's talk about the weather--the subject is rather stale," she
said. "I suppose you are wondering why on earth Mother had to drag you
away out here. I tried to show her how foolish it was, but I didn't
succeed. Mother thinks there must be a man at the head of affairs or
they'll never go right. I could have taken full charge easily enough;
I haven't been Father's 'boy' all my life for nothing. There was no
need to take you away from your business."

I protested. I said I was going to take a vacation anyway, and
business was not pressing just then. I also hinted that, while I had
no doubt of her capacity, she might have found the duties of
superintendent rather arduous.

"Not at all," she said, with a serenity that made me groan inwardly.
"I like it. Father always said I was a born business manager. You'll
find Ashley's Mills very quiet, I'm afraid. It's a sort of charmed
Sleepy Hollow. See, there's home," as we turned a maple-blazoned
corner and looked from the crest of one hill across to that of
another. "Home" was a big, white, green-shuttered house buried amid a
riot of autumn colour, with a big grove of dark green spruces at the
back. Below them was a glimpse of a dark blue mill pond and beyond it
long sweeps of golden-brown meadow land, sloping up till they dimmed
in horizon mists of pearl and purple.

"How pretty," I exclaimed admiringly.

"Isn't it?" said Gussie proudly. "I love it." Her pupils dilated into
dark pools, and I rather unwillingly admitted that Miss Ashley was a
fine-looking girl.

As we drove up Aunt Lucy was standing on the steps of the verandah,
over whose white roof trailed a luxuriant creeper, its leaves tinged
by October frosts into lovely wine reds and tawny yellows. Gussie
sprang out, barely touching my offered hand with her fingertips.

"There's Mother waiting to pounce on you and hear all the family
news," she said, "so go and greet her like a dutiful nephew."

"I must take out your horse for you first," I said politely.

"Not at all," said Miss Ashley, taking the reins from m