, though Bella Morris would have done for an instructor on poses
already, and was often saying, "Primrose, you must stand that way and
turn your face so, and look as if you were listening to something," or
"Bend your head a little."

"But I'm not listening, and I can't have my head bent over, it tires my
neck," she would reply with a kind of gay decision.

She was wondering whether she wanted to go out to the farm or not. Would
she be allowed to take her books along, or must she go on with the
spinning and sewing? And she did love her pretty gowns and the ribbons,
and the silver buckles on her shoes, and several times she had worn the
gold beads that her mother had left behind for her. And there was the
spinet, with its mysterious music, the drives about, and she was
learning to ride on a pillion; and Patty knew so many stories about
everything, merry and sad and awesome, for her grandmother's sister had
been thrust into prison at Salem for being a witch. And Patty also knew
some fairy stories, chief among them a version of "Cinderella," and that
fascinating "Little Red Riding Hood."

"I think I shall want thee always," he began, breaking the silence. "I
have missed thee so much, and counted on thy coming back to us. But you
might find it dull after all the pleasure and diversion. There would be
Faith----"

"Should I like her?"

"That I cannot tell," and he smiled gravely.

She did not altogether like Bella, but she did not want to say so. It
was queer, but she was learning that you could not like everybody to
order. There was something about kind, gentle Aunt Lois that held one at
a distance, and she was always afraid of her Uncle James.

"Do you like her very much?" with a lingering intonation.

"We are commanded to love everyone, chiefly those of the household of
faith."

"Cousin Andrew," very seriously, "I go to Christ Church now. I like the
singing. And it says--in the Scriptures, I think--'Let everything that
hath breath praise the Lord!'"

"One can praise in the heart."

"How should another know it? One might be thinking very naughty things
in the heart, and keep silence."

"But the naughty and evil heart would not be likely to do good works."

Primrose was silent. The spiritual part of theology was quite beyond
her.

Then there was a clang at the knocker and the small black boy in a
bright turban went to answer.

CHAPTER VI.

TO THE RESCUE.

Primrose was dismissed, though she saw h