hers. No manners," declared the
lawyer.

"Calvin Trent!" Miss Martha's eyes sparkled through her excited tears.
"I'll thank you to be careful how you insult my dead brother in my
presence. Your own manners in doing so are worse than anything Sam was
ever guilty of!"

"Right you are, Martha," returned the startled lawyer with prompt
meekness.

"Moreover," added Edna, indicating the sketches, "see Sylvia's
inheritance from that father. You've nothing to blame her for, Judge
Trent, in the manner of her leaving. I understand it perfectly. Please
fix your mind only on her talent. Come with me to-morrow, and make her
happy by the assurance of your interest and assistance."

Judge Trent as he left the room muttered something to the effect that
things had come to a pretty pass when he was forced at his age to spend
his time on the water, tagging back and forth after a chit of a girl
who didn't know her own mind. At the same time he recalled that Sylvia
had returned to Hawk Island with reluctance, and that Edna Derwent was
not the girl to shake him with her sobs for nothing; so he set himself
to the task of being civil to Miss Lacey for the following half-hour,
with intent to make amends for his offense to her.

Dunham, left alone with Edna, asked the question which was consuming
him. Edna was placing the sketches in one of the empty drawers of the
chiffonier.

"You must have had some talk with Sylvia this noon after I came
upstairs for the book," he began.

She lifted her shoulder and shook her head with a gesture of
repugnance. "Oh, yes. Don't remind me."

Dunham feared the worst. If Edna had accused Sylvia of giving him that
potion, he would forswear the Mill Farm forever.

He continued: "Sylvia had already felt that you were offended with her.
She mentioned it in the boat yesterday. Did your interview to-day go
into detail? Did,"--John cleared his throat,--"did you tell her what
her offense was?"

"No,"--Edna shook her head,--"and don't ask me what it was, John. I
told her we would talk later; but I hurt her. I hurt her, because I
didn't know." She paused, and her next words caused further relief to
overspread Dunham's countenance. "I'm glad that you understand nothing
about it, John."

"So am I," he returned cheerfully. "I know you'll fix things up all
right. I think I'll just wander down the island now, and find Benny
Merritt and see if he was her boatman. Cheer up, Edna. I know you can
get whatever you wan