and then Andrew said thou
didst have the sweetest big heart in all the world and could love me and
would be glad to share thy joys with me. Is it so, Primrose?"

Primrose clasped her in her arms and kissed her many times.

"I wish thou could come. There are so many things, and it makes no one
poorer by sharing them."

"And then I learned to love thee. We talk of thee until at night, when I
shut my eyes and draw the coverlid about me, I can see thee like a star
coming out in the blue. And Andrew thinks sometime he may take me in on
market day, when the spring opens, for I would like to see the great
city. And thou might come to meet us. I think Aunt Lois and Rachel would
be angry if I went to Madam Wetherill's. But I am forgetting. Thou hast
a soldier cousin, Andrew."

"He is my brother," explained Primrose with curious dignity. "And--I do
not like him to be a King's soldier."

Andrew gave a long whistle of amazement, and studied Primrose so keenly
that she flushed.

"Thy brother? Of course, then, being Uncle Philemon's son he is my
cousin. Is he not Lord somebody?"

"He is Captain Nevitt. And at times I love him, but he teases and
threatens to take me to England, and--and he is to fight our soldiers.
It does not seem right, then, to love him at all. Andrew," looking up
out of the softly radiant eyes, "I wish thou wert in his stead."

Andrew Henry was satisfied then. For an instant his soul had been wrung
with jealousy. But his look of tender regard answered hers and both
understood.

"And I must go see this British cousin. Faith, hand me that brush, even
if it does get used at times on Dobbin's sleek coat."

He brushed the dust of the grain out of his clothes and gave his hair a
stir with his fingers.

"And Primrose hath a pony!" cried Faith. "It is pretty, with great, soft
eyes! Next summer I shall learn to ride."

She caught the hand of her visitor and pressed it with pervading
rapture. Primrose wondered how she could have grown so different.

"Thou hast stayed finely!" said Rachel reprovingly. "It is ever the way
when two do an errand. And Madam Wetherill will take dinner with us, it
is so near noon. The horses must be put out, and Penn and Jonas are down
in the wood lot. Go to the kitchen and help Chloe."

There were tears in Faith's eyes, but she dared not even loiter, for
Rachel's hand was not light when it came with a box on the ear. There
were so few visitors at the house that this was a great t