of Mr.
Sherwood, on the porch, where he usually made his report, and to which
Nan often stole to listen openly to them discuss her mother's case.
"I find her in a state of happy excitement, and that is quite right,
Robert, quite right, if the hopes that are the wellspring of it are
not quenched. What does it mean? Have you arranged the sea voyage I
advised?"

Papa Sherwood's face changed suddenly. He looked oddly, Nan thought,
at the doctor. "I don't know but that is it, Doc," he said. "That sea
voyage may be in the offing."

"Best thing that could happen to her, best thing that could happen to
her!" declared the old physician with emphasis, as he stumped away.

Nan wondered what that could mean. A sea voyage for Momsey? Of course,
for all of them. She could not imagine Momsey going anywhere without her
and Papa Sherwood.

She knew she was not to say anything about what she heard pass between
her father and the doctor on the porch. Indeed, Nan was no bearer
of tales in any event. But she was very curious. The steam from the
cauldron of Mystery seldom arose in the little "dwelling in amity"
save about Christmas time or just previous to Nan's birthday. But Papa
Sherwood certainly was enigmatical and Momsey was mysteriously happy, as
Dr. Christian had said.

"And we'll put steam heat in the little house. You know, Robert, we've
always wanted to," Nan's mother suddenly said one evening as they all
sat around the reading lamp, and quite apropos of nothing at all. Then
she laughed, flushing prettily. "There! You see what my mind runs on. I
really can't help it."

It was only a day or two later that the second letter came from Memphis.
Mr. Adair MacKenzie had returned from Mexico and evidently one of
the first duties he performed was to write his Cousin Jessie his
congratulations.

"A letter on quite another matter," this epistle read, "from our distant
kinsman, Andrew Blake, of Kellam & Blake, apprised me that the ancient
Hugh Blake, steward to the Lairds of Emberon for so many years, was dead
and that his property was willed to your father, whose appearance as a
lad at Emberon pleased the old man greatly.

"You are to be congratulated. The estate is considerable, I understand.
Your husband's troubles which are mentioned in your letter that I
found awaiting my return will now be over. For, although Andrew Blake
intimates that there may be considerable opposition in the courts there,
over the money going to an Ameri