how
they never went away in the spring and summer except for a week or so
in town for shopping and picture-galleries, but filled the Wood House
with relays of guests.

"For the last three years we have gone abroad in the middle of October,
and returned for Christmas and the New Year," she finished, "but we
have made up our minds to remain in England this year. Why, here comes
the truant, and it is actually nearly luncheon time."

Cedric, flushed and panting, flung himself down beside her.

CHAPTER XIV

"YOU DO SAY SUCH ODD THINGS"

Womanhood should be the consecration of earth.
--U. A. Taylor

In the region of domestic affections a new and
ennobling motive came from Bethlehem--"that I may
please God."
--Knox Little.

Elizabeth put on an air of great severity as she regarded the culprit.

"Rotherwood is about a mile and a quarter from our gate," she observed,
apostrophising some midges that were dancing in a sunbeam overhead.
"You could walk there easily in twenty minutes. It is now one o'clock,
and you have been away exactly three hours and a half," and here she
consulted the miniature watch that she wore as an ornament as well as
for utility. "If it be not impertinent, may we inquire why you have
absented yourself the whole morning?"

"Oh, shut up, Bet," returned her brother impatiently. "Sarcasm is not
your style at all. It is like killing a grasshopper with a pair of
iron-heeled clogs. It is precious heavy, I can tell you."

"You rude, unmannerly boy," and here Elizabeth attempted to pull his
hair, but she might as well have tried her prentice hand on a young
convict freshly shorn by the prison barber.

"Hands off, Betty, I tell you," returned the graceless lad. "I have had
rather a good time of it. I knew Herrick was getting pretty sick of
me." Here Cedric rolled over on his back, and tilted his straw hat over
his eyes. "Familiarity breeds contempt and all that sort of thing.
Conversation is like a salad, isn't it, Herrick?--you may have plenty
of green stuff and oil, but it wants pepper and a dash of vinegar too."

"Why don't you box his ears, Miss Templeton? He is getting positively
abusive."

"I prefer pepper to oil," she returned calmly. "Well, Cedric, perhaps
you will kindly inform me if your mission has been successful."

"Oh, it is all right. David will be here to tea, but he says it will
not be cool enough