.

"To get the golden fleece," her weeping niece assured her.

"Well," said Harriet amused, "let us hope they may find it, but why
the tears?"

Alexina got up and carried her tears to her own room. It spoke her
infantile capacity to discriminate that she bore away no resentment;
there are things that the Aunt Harriets with the best wills in the
world need not be expected to understand.

King William's mother, telling her, had held her tight and rocked her;
King William's father, when he saw her lip trembling afterward, had
lifted her on his knee.

Going into the big, high room which was her own, Alexina shut the
door. Then she cast herself on the floor. A little hand, beating about
wildly, came upon Sally Ann, lying unregarded there. Gathering her in
fiercely, presently the sobs grew quieter. Later she wiped her eyes
upon her child and, kissing her tenderly, put her down and went over
to King William's; the time was short and she could have Sally Ann
afterward.

The next day the cottage was closed and the shutters made fast.
Alexina felt lonesome even to look over there, and Sally Anns are but
silent comforters.

But in a year the Leroys came back from St. Louis, between which city
and New Orleans the splendid new "King William" had been plying. The
judgment of Captain Leroy had been at fault, which is a sad thing when
a man is sixty. The day of the steamboat had passed, because that of
the railroad had come. The "King William" as a venture was a failure.

So, one morning, the cottage windows were open to the Virginia creeper
outside them. Nelly whispered the news to Alexina at breakfast, and
the child could not eat for hurry to be through and go over.

It was as if King William had been watching for her, for he came
running to the gate and took her hand to conduct her in. He was
taller and thinner, and looked different, and neither could find
anything to say on the way.

Charlotte was sitting in the parlour, her wraps half-removed. They had
only just arrived, and the stillness and closeness of a newly opened
house was about. "How does one pack furniture for moving, Willy?"
Charlotte began as he appeared.

But he was bringing Alexina. "Tell her about it, mother," he said, "so
she'll know."

Charlotte, brightening, held out her arms. Then, having lifted the
child to her lap and kissed her, her face grew wan again. "There was
no fleece for Jason, little Mab; there is no Land of Colchis, never
believe it.