degree it had become her own, Dinah agreed without demur to his
wish to spare her all the jarring details, the travesty of mourning, that
could not fail to strike a false chord in her soul.

It was well for her that she had Biddy to think of. The old woman was
pathetically eager to serve her. She had in fact attached herself to
Dinah in a fashion that went to her heart. It was Miss Isabel's wish that
she should take care of her, she told her tremulously, and Dinah, knew
that it had been equally her friend's wish that she should care for
Biddy.

And Biddy was very good. Probably in accordance with Scott's desire, she
made a great effort to throw off all gloom, and undoubtedly her own sense
of loss and bereavement was greatly lessened by the consciousness of
Dinah's need of her.

"Time enough to weep later," she told herself, as she lay down in the
room adjoining Dinah's on that first night in the Dower House. "She'll
not be wanting old Biddy when Master Scott comes to her."

The two days that followed were very fully occupied. There were curtains
and pictures to hang, furniture to be arranged, and many things to be
unpacked. Dinah went to the work with zest. She did not know when Scott
would come. But it would be soon, she knew it would be soon; and she
thrilled to the thought. Everything must be ready for him. She wanted him
to feel that it was home from the moment he crossed the threshold.

So, with Biddy's help, she went about her preparations, enlisting the old
nurse's sympathies till at last she succeeded in arousing her enthusiasm
also. There was certainly no time to weep.

That second day after her arrival was the day of the funeral. It was
a beautiful still day of summer, and in the afternoon Dinah and Biddy
sat in the garden overlooking the winding river, and read the Burial
Service together. It was Dinah's suggestion, somewhat shyly proffered,
and--though she knew it not--from that time forward Biddy's heart was
at her feet. Whatever tears there might be yet to shed had lost all
bitterness from that hour.

"I'll never be lonely so long as there's you to love, Miss Dinah
darlint," Biddy murmured, when the young arms closed about her neck for a
moment ere they went back to their work. "Ye've warmed and comforted me
all through."

It was late in the evening when dusk was falling that there came the
sound of an uneven tread on the gravel path before the Dower House.

Dinah was the first to hear it. Dinah