did she know what an oast-house was. A night such as
this, with flying clouds and a shrill, piping wind, made her think of
angry seas and a dark ship's cabin, in which she lay deathly sick. But
it was not Polly's way to dwell on disagreeables: her mind glanced off
to a pleasanter theme.

"Have you ever thought, Richard, how strange it will seem when there
ARE three of us? You and I will never be quite alone together again.
Oh, I do hope he will be a good baby and not cry much. It will worry
you if he does--like Hempel's cough. And then you won't love him
properly."

"I shall love it because it is yours, my darling. And the baby of such
a dear little mother is sure to be good."

"Oh, babies will be babies, you know!" said Polly, with a new air of
wisdom which sat delightfully on her.

Mahony pinched her cheek. "Mrs. Mahony, you're shirking my question.
Tell me now, should you not be pleased to get back to England?"

"I'll go wherever you go, Richard," said Polly staunchly. "Always. And
of course I should like to see mother--I mean my real mother--again.
But then Ned's here ... and John, and Sarah. I should be very sorry to
leave them. I don't think any of them will ever go home now."

"They may be here, but they don't trouble YOU often, my dear," said
Mahony, with more than a hint of impatience. "Especially Ned the
well-beloved, who lives not a mile from your door."

"I know he doesn't often come to see us, Richard. But he's only a boy;
and has to work so hard. You see it's like this. If Ned should get into
any trouble, I'm here to look after him; and I know that makes mother's
mind easier--Ned was always her favourite."

"And an extraordinary thing, too! I believe it's the boy's good looks
that blind you women to his faults."

"Oh no, indeed it isn't!" declared Polly warmly. "It's just because
Ned's Ned. The dearest fellow, if you really know him."

"And so your heart's anchored here, little wife, and would remain here
even if I carried your body off to England?"

"Oh no, Richard," said Polly again. "My heart would always be where you
are. But I can't help wondering how Ned would get on alone. And Jerry
will soon be here too, now, and he's younger still. And HOW I should
like to see dear Tilly settled before I go!"

Judging that enough had been said for the time being, Mahony re-opened
his book, leaving his wife to chew the cud of innocent matchmaking and
sisterly cares.

In reality Polly's reflections w