arrival, "I'm not sure that you will be as welcome to all, John
Sullivan, as you are to me."

"You were always easy, Ulick," the other answered with a smile, "when
you were big and I was little."

"Ay? Well, in size we're much as we were. But--Flavia!"

The girl, scenting something strange, was already at his elbow. "What
is it?" she asked, her breath coming a little quickly. "Who is it?"
fixing her eyes on the new-comer's face.

Uncle Ulick chuckled. "It's your guardian, my jewel," he said. "No
less! And what he'll say to what's going on I'll not be foretelling!"

"My guardian?" she repeated, the blood rising abruptly to her cheek.

"Just that," Ulick Sullivan answered humorously. "Just that, my
darling. It's John Sullivan come back from Sweden. And, as I've told
him, I'm not sure that all at Morristown will be as glad to see him as
I am." At which Uncle Ulick went off into a peal of Titanic laughter.

But that which amused him did not appear to amuse his niece, She stood
staring at Colonel Sullivan as if she were far more surprised than
pleased. At length, and with a childish dignity, she held out her hand.

"If you are Colonel John Sullivan," she said, in a thin voice, "you are
welcome at Morristown."

He might have laughed at the distance of her tone. But he merely bowed,
and with the utmost gravity. "I thank you," he answered. And then,
addressing Ulick Sullivan, "I need not say that I had your
communication," he continued, "with the news of Sir Michael's death and
of the dispositions made by his will. I could not come at once, but
when I could I did, and I am here. Having said so much," he went on,
turning to the girl and looking at her with serious kindness, "may I
add that I think it will be well if we leave matters of business on one
side until we know one another?"

"Well, faith, I think we'd better," Ulick Sullivan replied. And he
chuckled. "I do think so, bedad!"

The girl said nothing, and when he had chuckled his fill restraint fell
upon the three. They turned from one another and looked across the
lake, which the wind, brisk at sea, barely ruffled. Colonel Sullivan
remarked that they had a little more land under tillage than he
remembered, and Ulick Sullivan assented. And then again there was
silence, until the girl struck her habit with her whip and cried
flippantly, "Well, to dinner, if we are to have dinner! To dinner!" She
turned, and led the way to the gate of the forecourt.

The man