m was perpetually on the
defensive. But life is not an exact science, something is always
happening to change its circumstances, and feelings change with them.
The following spring the new Filmer house was finished and ready for
occupancy; and the village newspaper was busily blowing little
fanfaronades of congratulation to Woodsome; and of welcome to the
coming Filmers; and by that time Adriana and Rose were also eager to
see each other again.

"I wonder if I ought to call on Rose," said Adriana to her father, as
she laid down the paper announcing the long heralded arrivals. "I
believe it would only be good form to do so."

"Under the circumstances, I would not call first, Yanna. Keep your
place, until you are asked out of it."

"I am quite willing to do so. My own home is a very good place,
father."

"Home is a blessed freedom, Yanna. At your own fireside, you can be a
law unto yourself. You can speak the thing you like, from morning to
night."

"The papers say the Filmers are Woodsome people. Do you remember
them?"

"I never saw the present Mr. Filmer until I made my contract with him.
I can just recollect his father, old Dominie Filmer, in his flowered
dressing-gown, and his velvet cap. We did not sit in his church; but
Adam Kors talks a great deal about him. He says he preached sermons
hard to understand, and full of sharp words. I dare say he was a good
man, for Adam tells of him being puzzled and troubled at living longer
than the orthodox Scriptural three-score-years-and-ten. But he died at
last--pretty well off."

"Most ministers die poorly off."

"Dominie Filmer was wise in his generation. He not only looked for
mansions in the sky, he had also a reasonable respect for the land
around Woodsome--and for shares in the railways, and things of that
kind. But no one in his day could speak ill of him; and his children
and grandchildren speak very well of him. And this friend of yours,
Rose Filmer, will be his granddaughter."

"Yes. I hope she will call soon. If she delays too long, it will be no
kindness. If she does not call at all, I think I shall hate her."

"No, Yanna. Anger and hate are not for you to bother with. They are
such a dreadful waste of life. Why should you let a person whom you
dislike, or despise, take possession of you, and of your mind, and
occupy your thoughts, and run your precious time to their idea? That
is a poor business, Yanna."

Here the conversation ceased, but the next m