! How good to live in the green country, where lovely sights and
sounds were one's own, all day long. Why should one let oneself be
distressed, even if things did not go just to one's mind?

A soft cloud seemed to be stealing over her spirit; it was not sleep,
but just a waking dream, of peace and beauty, and the love of all lovely
things in the green and blossoming world, where life floated by to the
music of birds,--

"I beg your pardon, Miss Margaret; were you asleep, miss?"

Margaret sat upright, and looked a little severe. It would never do even
to look as if she had been asleep, in the middle of the afternoon. "No,
Elizabeth," she said. "What is wanted?"

"Only miss, Frances was wishful to know whether she should keep Master
Merton's dinner any longer, or whether she'd cook something fresh for
him along with his supper."

No more dreaming for Margaret! She sprang to her feet, suddenly
conscious of the fact that Merton had not been seen for several hours.
It could not have been more than eleven o'clock when he was in her room;
now-- "What time is it, Elizabeth?"

"Going on five, Miss Margaret. Mr. Montfort'll soon be here, miss; maybe
Master Merton might have gone to meet him."

Margaret shook her head; that did not seem at all likely. She hailed
Basil, who came sauntering up the gravel walk, his brow still clouded,
kicking the pebbles before him.

"Oh, Basil, have you seen Merton? He has not been in the house since
this morning, and I am anxious about him."

Basil shrugged his shoulders. "Run away, most likely!" he said,
carelessly. "He's always running away, Mert is."

"Always running away! But where could he run to, Basil? He does not know
his way about here. He surely would not run away in a strange place."

Basil smiled superior. "That's just why he'd do it. He likes to find out
new places; we both do. I wouldn't leave Susan D., or I'd have gone,
too, bet I would. No use staying here, to be bossed round."

"Oh, Basil, don't talk so, but help me, like a dear boy, to find
Merton."

Basil stood uncertain. He raised a threatening glance towards Miss
Sophronia's window; but Margaret was beside him in a moment. "Basil, to
please me!" she said. She laid her hand on the boy's shoulder. He stood
still, and Margaret had a moment of painful doubt; but the next instant
he raised his face to her with his own enchanting smile. "All right!" he
said. "You are all right, Cousin Margaret, whatever other folks are