too
good for him or for his. It's very brave and sweet of you to stay and meet
them."

"I'm doing it to please Marion. She suggested it last night, sitting out
on the porch in the twilight. She slipped her arm around me and said:

"'Mamma, we must welcome them and make them feel at home. He is very ill.
They will be tired and homesick. Suppose it were you and I, and we were
taking my Papa to a strange place.'"

* * * * *

When the Stonemans arrived, the old man was too ill and nervous from the
fatigue of the long journey to notice his surroundings or to be conscious
of the restful beauty of the cottage into which they carried him. His room
looked out over the valley of the river for miles, and the glimpse he got
of its broad fertile acres only confirmed his ideas of the "slaveholding
oligarchy" it was his life-purpose to crush. Over the mantel hung a steel
engraving of Calhoun. He fell asleep with his deep, sunken eyes resting on
it and a cynical smile playing about his grim mouth.

Margaret and Mrs. Cameron had met the Stonemans and their physician at the
train, and taken Elsie and her father in the old weather-beaten family
carriage to the Lenoir cottage, apologising for Ben's absence.

"He has gone to Nashville on some important legal business, and the doctor
is ailing, but as the head of the clan Cameron he told me to welcome your
father to the hospitality of the county, and beg him to let us know if he
could be of help."

The old man, who sat in a stupor of exhaustion, made no response, and
Elsie hastened to say:

"We appreciate your kindness more than I can tell you, Mrs. Cameron. I
trust father will be better in a day or two, when he will thank you. The
trip has been more than he could bear."

"I am expecting Ben home this week," the mother whispered. "I need not
tell you that he will be delighted at your coming."

Elsie smiled and blushed.

"And I'll expect Captain Stoneman to see me very soon," said Margaret
softly. "You will not forget to tell him for me?"

"He's a very retiring young man," said Elsie, "and pretends to be busy
about our baggage just now. I'm sure he will find the way."

Elsie fell in love at sight with Marion and her mother. Their easy genial
manners, the genuineness of their welcome, and the simple kindness with
which they sought to make her feel at home put her heart into a warm
glow.

Mrs. Lenoir explained the conveniences of the