horses
that were bringing up the rear.

She forgot her anger, however, when she returned home and found that Mr.
Plaisted had arrived during their absence.

Bless us! how very amiable we can be when we want to make a deep impression
on someone's soft heart!

Gussie's face was now all smiles. Her words were all sweet when Mr.
Plaisted was by anyway, and as it is an ill wind that blows nobody good,
Dexie felt grateful enough for anything that would cause Gussie to be a
little better-natured than she had been during the last few weeks, and
Gussie's very unexpected offer, to "keep the parlor dusted while Plaisted
is here," touched Dexie to the heart.

But his presence made Dexie's task much harder than usual. Such a
"lie-a-bed" as he was in the mornings, and he expected to be served with a
hot breakfast whatever might be the hour of his appearance.

Nancy remembered him of old, and resented the added work, and Dexie tried
almost in vain to pour oil on the troubled waters.

One evening, when Plaisted was about to retire, Dexie handed him his lamp,
saying:

"Our breakfast hour is eight o'clock, Mr. Plaisted, and if you will rise at
the first bell you will have plenty of time to curl your hair before the
breakfast bell rings."

"Dexie, don't let your tongue run away with you," her father said,
reprovingly. "Plaisted will surely be up in good time to-morrow, as we have
much work ahead of us if we intend to catch the train."

"Yes, I'll be up to-morrow morning without fail," he replied. "I don't see
how it is that I oversleep myself so often when I am here; I fully intended
to get up to breakfast this morning, but missed it. However, you will see
me to-morrow morning at the breakfast table, Miss Dexie, if I am alive," he
added jokingly, as he waved a good-night to Gussie.

"Very well; but if you are not up in time we shan't wait for you," said
Dexie, smiling, "for dead men need no breakfast."

"Oh! you'll see, Miss Dexie, I'll be up to-morrow in time, without fail,"
and he laughed as he disappeared up the stairs.

But when eight o'clock came next morning, it brought no Plaisted with it,
and Dexie horrified them by asking if they had better go up and view the
remains.

Breakfast was eaten in silence. Mr. Sherwood was vexed at Plaisted's
laziness when there was so much need of energetic work to make up for time
lost and wasted.

"Perhaps he did not hear the bell," said Gussie, as the clock struck nine.
"I'll ring