now they sat down on the piazza, somewhat apart from other people
who were there, as Mr. Arbuton said, "O, I shall visit Eriecreek soon
enough. But I shall not come to put myself or you to the proof. I don't
ask to see you at home before claiming you forever."

Kitty murmured, "Ah! you are more generous than I was."

"I doubt it."

"O yes, you are. But I wonder if you'll be able to find Eriecreek."

"Is it on the map?"

"It's on the county map; and so is Uncle Jack's lot on it, and a picture
of his house, for that matter. They'll all be standing on the
piazza--something like this one--when you come up. You'll know Uncle
Jack by his big gray beard, and his bushy eyebrows, and his boots, which
he won't have blacked, and his Leghorn hat, which we can't get him to
change. The girls will be there with him,--Virginia all red and heated
with having got supper for you, and Rachel with the family mending in
her hand,--and they'll both come running down the walk to welcome you.
How will you like it?"

Mr. Arbuton suspected the gross caricature of this picture, and smiled
securely at it. "I shall like it well enough," he said, "if you run down
with them. Where shall you be?"

"I forgot. I shall be up stairs in my room, peeping through the
window-blinds, to see how you take it. Then I shall come down, and
receive you with dignity in the parlor, but after supper you'll have to
excuse me while I help with the dishes. Uncle Jack will talk to you.
He'll talk to you about Boston. He's much fonder of Boston than you are,
even." And here Kitty broke off with a laugh, thinking what a very
different Boston her Uncle Jack's was from Mr. Arbuton's, and
maliciously diverted with what she conceived of their mutual
bewilderment in trying to get some common stand-point. He had risen from
his chair, and was now standing a few paces from her, looking toward the
fall, as if by looking he might delay the coming of the colonel and
Fanny.

She checked her merriment a moment to take note of two ladies who were
coming up the path towards the porch where she was sitting. Mr. Arbuton
did not see them. The ladies mounted the steps, and turned slowly and
languidly to survey the company. But at sight of Mr. Arbuton, one of
them advanced directly toward him, with exclamations of surprise and
pleasure, and he with a stupefied face and a mechanical movement turned
to meet her.

She was a lady of more than middle age, dressed with certain personal
aud