sed to accept a basket of Maryland biscuit and a sallylunn
just out of the oven." Mrs. Bowdoin's compliments with three brace of
ducks--"a little late in the season, my dear St. George, but they
are just up from Currytuck where Mr. Bowdoin has had extremely good
luck--for Mr. Bowdoin." "Mrs. Cheston's congratulations, and would Mr.
Temple do her the honor of placing on his sideboard an old Accomack
County ham which her cook had baked that morning and which should have
all the charm and flavor of the State which had given him birth--"
and last a huge basket of spring roses from Miss Virginia Clendenning,
accompanied by a card bearing the inscription--"You don't deserve them,
you renegade," and signed--"Your deserted and heart-broken sweetheart."
All of which were duly spread out on the sideboard, together with one
lone bottle to which was attached an envelope.

Before the day was over half the club had called--Richard acting master
of ceremonies--Kate and old Prim--(he seemed perfectly contented with
the way everything had turned out)--doing the honors with St. George.
Pawson had also put in an appearance and been publicly thanked--a mark
of St. George's confidence and esteem which doubled his practice before
the year was out, and Gadgem--

No, Gadgem did not put in an appearance. Gadgem got as far as the hall
and looked in, and, seeing all the great people thronging about St.
George, would have sneaked out again to await some more favorable
occasion had not Harry's sharp eyes discovered the top of his scraggly
head over the shoulders of some others, and darted towards him, and when
he couldn't be made to budge, had beckoned to St. George, who came on
a run and shook Gadgem's hand so heartily and thanked him in so loud
a voice--(everybody in the hall heard him)--that he could only
sputter--"Didn't do a thing, sir--no, sir--and if I--" and then,
overwhelmed, shot out of the door and down the steps and into Pawson's
office where he stood panting, saying to himself--"I'll be tuckered if
I ain't happier than I--yes--by Jingo, I am. JIMminy-CRIMminy what a man
he is!"

And so the day passed and the night came and the neighbors took their
leave, and Harry escorted Kate back to Seymours' and the tired knocker
gave out and fell asleep, and at last Todd said good-night and stole
down to Jemima, and St. George found himself once more in his easy
chair, his head in his hand, his eyes fixed on the dead coals of a past
fire.

As