was not long for this world,
because though until lately he has been unforgiving to Oliver Sands
for the treatment of Rose, he now sought to interest her father on the
little ones' behalf. I've learned he made frequent visits to
Heartsease, the Sands' farm, but only once saw its owner. But he often
saw Dorcas, the wife, and found her powerless to help him; besides, he
did not mend matters, even with her, by explaining that he had named
the twins as he had--'_after her husband, and herself!_' He told her
that she and Oliver were living liars, because the Scripture commanded
Christians to look after their own households and they did not do so."

"But how could her heart, the heart of any woman, remain hard against
the sight of her orphan grandchildren?" demanded Mrs. Calvert,
impatiently. "I've met that Dorcas Sands on the road, going to meeting
with the miller, and she looked the very soul of meekness and
gentleness."

"So, I believe she is; but she never saw the children. I told you he
was crazed, partially; and despite the fact that he felt their
mother's family should care for the orphans he did not want to give
them up, permanently. He felt that in doing so he would be consigning
them to a life of deceit and unscrupulousness."

"How strange! And, Seth, how strange that you should know all this.
It's not many days since that old man 'passed them on' to us. You must
have been busy gathering news," commented Mrs. Betty.

"I have; but the most of it I learned this afternoon, when I was
taking the fanatic to the Hospital. Dolly, you tell her about his
harangue in the tent and what the twins did there. It will give a
diversion to my thoughts, for it _was_ funny!"

So Dolly told and they all laughed over the recital, and in the
laughter both Mrs. Calvert and Dorothy lost the last bit of constraint
that had remained in their manner whenever either chanced to remember
the missing one hundred dollars and the sharpness of the telegram.

Mrs. Calvert resumed:

"You say, taking him to the Hospital. Have you done that, then? And
how came you with Oliver Sands? The last man in the world to be drawn
to Newburgh to see a circus."

"Not the circus, of course, but the county fair. He got up enough
interest in ordinary affairs to drive to the fair grounds to see his
cattle safely housed. He will have, I presume, the finest exhibit of
Holstein-Friesians on the grounds. He always has had, and has carried
off many first premiums.