rs. Barclay looked, in a sort of fascination.

"We are very glad to see you," Lois said simply. "It is Mrs. Barclay, I
suppose? The train was in good time. Let me take your bag, and I will
show you right up to your room."

"Thank you. Yes, I am Mrs. Barclay; but who are you?"

"I am Lois. Mrs. Wishart wrote to me about you. Now, here is your room;
and here is your trunk. Thank you, Mr. Starks.--What can I do for you?
Tea will be ready presently."

"You seem to have obliging neighbours! Ought I not to pay him for his
trouble?" said Mrs. Barclay, looking after the retreating Starks.

"Pay? O no!" said Lois, smiling. "Mr Starks does not want pay. He is
very well off indeed; has a farm of his own, and makes it valuable."

"He deserves to be well off, for his obligingness. Is it a general
characteristic of Shampuashuh?"

"I rather think it is," said Lois. "When you come down, Mrs. Barclay, I
will show you your other room."

Mrs. Barclay took off her wrappings and looked about her in a maze. The
room was extremely neat and pleasant, with its white naperies and
old-fashioned furniture. All that she had seen of the place was
pleasant. But the girl!--O Philip, Philip! thought Mrs. Barclay, have
you lost your heart here! and what ever will come of it all? I can
understand it; but what will come of it!

Down-stairs Lois met her again, and took her into the room arranged for
her sitting-room. It was not a New York drawing-room; but many gorgeous
drawing-rooms would fail in a comparison with it. Warm-coloured chintz
curtains; the carpet neither fine nor handsome, indeed, but of a hue
which did not clash violently with the hue of the draperies; plain,
dark furniture; and a blaze of soft coal. Mrs. Barclay exclaimed,

"Delightful! O, delightful! Is this my room, did you say? It is quite
charming. I am afraid I am putting you to great inconvenience?"

"The convenience is much greater than the inconvenience," said Lois
simply. "I hope we may be able to make you comfortable; but my sisters
are afraid you will not like our country way of living."

"Are you the housekeeper?"

"No," said Lois, with her pleasant smile again; "I am the gardener and
the out-of-doors woman generally; the man of business of the house."

"That is a rather hard place for a woman to fill, sometimes."

"It is easy here, and where people have so little out-of-door business
as we have."

She arranged the fire and shut the shutters of the windows; Mrs