sie, you mean? Oh, yes. I think she is all right. She did not get a
chance to fret after she left the house."

"But what detained you? I suppose you stayed to see them off, but the train
must have gone hours ago."

"Yes, I know it, Mrs. Gurney; but I--I didn't stay to see them off--I
couldn't," he added, seeing her look of surprise. "I'm a fool, I suppose,
but I couldn't stand there and see her go away without giving me one kind
word, so I drove off down the road until I could hide my folly from others'
eyes. I have driven Bob pretty hard, I'm afraid, but I have rubbed him down
well, and he will be the first to recover from this day's work."

He spoke bitterly, but openly, as any loved son might speak to a tender,
sympathizing mother, and he had found her all that during the long years he
had lived with them; and though her own son had gained, as he thought, the
one thing he longed for, he knew she would feel for his disappointment.

"It is Dexie you mean. You do not like her to be going away with Lancy. Is
that it, Hugh?"

"Yes, but that is not all. She has treated me so scornfully, while
Lancy--." He broke off abruptly, with a gesture that finished the sentence
for him.

"But, Hugh, think a minute! Lancy's tastes are similar to her own. How can
she help showing the preference, when their very music seems to draw them
together? I would not have thought, Hugh, that you would be so willing to
give up Gussie as you seem to be. You are not trifling with both girls, I
hope, Hugh?"

"No, indeed! You do not understand, and I cannot explain; but Gussie is not
what I thought her at first, and Dexie--well, she is so much more. It does
not make it easier to bear to know that I have placed a barrier between us
with my own hands. Oh, my temper! my hateful temper! it has done me more
harm during the last twenty-four hours than during all my life long," and
he laid his arms across the table and bent his head upon them.

"Perhaps it is not so, after all; the last burst of temper always looks the
worst. Don't you think so, my boy? Forget it for a few moments, and tell me
about Elsie. Has she gone off in good spirits?"

"Yes, I believe so, but to tell the truth I had no thought for anyone but
Dexie. Elsie will not get a chance to fret, I feel sure, but I wish Dexie
felt half as bad about leaving home as _she_ does. It would be a comfort to
think about."

"I am quite surprised, Hugh! Surely you can see that Dexie's feelings for