end on what sort of girl Roberta proved to be. "If I
like her I'll tell her; if I don't, I won't," was the final decision.
And when Roberta March looked down upon her with her beautiful eyes and
kissed her, Freddy Null departed this life so far as those two were
concerned.

Mrs Keswick had, apparently, made a very great miscalculation in regard
to the probable time of arrival of her guest, for Miss March and Peggy,
and even Sam and the horses, had been properly received and cared for,
and Miss March had been sitting in the parlor for some time, and still
the old lady did not come into the house. Her niece had grown very
anxious about this absence, and had begun to fear that her aunt had
treated Miss March as she had treated her on her arrival, and had gone
away to stay. But Plez, whom she had sent to tell his mistress that her
visitor was in the house, returned with the information that "ole miss"
was in one of the lower fields directing some men who were digging a
ditch, and that she would return to the house in a very short time. Thus
assured that no permanent absence was intended, she went into the parlor
to entertain Miss March, and to explain, as well as she could, the state
of affairs; when, as she entered the door, she saw that lady suddenly
arise and look steadfastly out of the window.

"Can that be Mr Croft?" Miss March exclaimed.

The younger girl made a dash forward and also looked out of the window.
Yes, there was Mr Croft, riding across the yard toward the tree where
horses were commonly tied.

"Did you expect him?" asked Roberta, quickly.

"No more than I expected the man in the moon," was the impulsive and
honest answer of her companion.

"I am very glad to see you, Mrs Null," said Lawrence, when that lady met
him on the porch. And when he was shown into the parlor, he greeted Miss
March with much cordiality, but no surprise. But when he inquired after
other members of the family, he was much surprised to find that Mr
Keswick had gone to Washington. "Was not this very unexpected, Mrs
Null?" he asked.

"Why, no," she answered. "Junius told us, almost as soon as he came
here, that he would have to be in Washington by the first of this week."

Mr Croft did not pursue this subject further, but presently remarked:
"Are you and I the first comers, Miss March?"

Roberta looked from one of her companions to the other, and remarked: "I
do not understand you."

Lawrence now perceived that he was treadin