all
right now. She's home."

Ariel had run along the fence until she came to the next gate, which
opened upon a walk leading to a shabby, meandering old house of one
story, with a very long, low porch, once painted white, running the
full length of the front. Ariel sprang upon the porch and disappeared
within the house.

Joe stood looking after her, his eyelashes winking as had hers. "You
oughtn't to have treated her that way," he said, huskily.

Eugene laughed again. "How were YOU treating her when I came up? You
bully her all you want to yourself, but nobody else must say even a
fatherly word to her!"

"That wasn't bullying," explained Joe. "We fight all the time."

"Mais oui!" assented Eugene. "I fancy!"

"What?" said the other, blankly.

"Pick up that banjo-case again and come on," commanded Mr. Bantry,
tartly. "Where's the mater?"

Joe stared at him. "Where's what?"

"The mater!" was the frowning reply.

"Oh yes, I know!" said Joe, looking at his step-brother curiously.
"I've seen it in stories. She's up-stairs. You'll be a surprise.
You're wearing lots of clothes, 'Gene."

"I suppose it will seem so to Canaan," returned the other, weariedly.
"Governor feeling fit?"

"I never saw him," Joe replied; then caught himself. "Oh, I see what
you mean! Yes, he's all right."

They had come into the hall, and Eugene was removing the long coat,
while his step-brother looked at him thoughtfully.

"'Gene," asked the latter, in a softened voice, "have you seen Mamie
Pike yet?"

"You will find, my young friend," responded Mr. Bantry, "if you ever go
about much outside of Canaan, that ladies' names are not supposed to be
mentioned indiscriminately."

"It's only," said Joe, "that I wanted to say that there's a dance at
their house to-night. I suppose you'll be going?"

"Certainly. Are you?"

Both knew that the question was needless; but Joe answered, gently:

"Oh no, of course not." He leaned over and fumbled with one foot as if
to fasten a loose shoe-string. "She wouldn't be very likely to ask me."

"Well, what about it?"

"Only that--that Arie Tabor's going."

"Indeed!" Eugene paused on the stairs, which he had begun to ascend.
"Very interesting."

"I thought," continued Joe, hopefully, straightening up to look at him,
"that maybe you'd dance with her. I don't believe many will ask
her--I'm afraid they won't--and if you would, even only once, it would
kind of make up for"--he fal