sure, Mr. Traverse, if you are looking for company."

"Busy, is she?" said Mr. Sherwood; "then go and relieve her, Gussie, for
she has been up half the night and needs a rest," and raising his voice,
called:

"Dexie, Dexie; come here."

Dexie was standing outside the door waiting for this summons, and she
entered the room, her head still enveloped in the enormous sun-bonnet, her
arms bare to the elbow, and her whole appearance proclaiming her a busy
little woman.

"Did you call me, papa?" and she stepped to his side.

The contrast between them was too painful, and Gussie blushed with
embarrassment, and hastily exclaimed:

"Leave the room, Dexie, Mr. Traverse is here."

"Where!" and the scoop-like bonnet was turned in his direction.

"Oh, good morning, Mr. Traverse. Excuse my toilet, but we wash sometimes at
our house, and this is one of the times. Fine morning this for
washerwomen. Now, what do you want of me, papa?" and she turned leisurely
to her father again, much to Gussie's horror.

"Well, Traverse called to take you for a drive, but I doubt if he will care
to ask you after seeing you in such a rig."

"This is not my carriage dress, my dear papa, but my working suit; but
seeing that Mr. Traverse has been talking to me at the back gate in this
very _rig_ and survived the shock, I trust the second sight won't prove
disastrous. If you say you can spare me, I'll promise not to appear in this
costume in public. Thanks, papa. How soon do you wish to start, Mr.
Traverse?"

"In half an hour, if possible," was the smiling answer.

"You will find me waiting your appearance," and making a sweeping,
old-fashioned courtesy, she pulled her bonnet forward with a jerk and
danced out of the room.

Traverse looked after her with a smile, and with a few pleasant words to
Mr. Sherwood, and a polite "good-morning" to Gussie, he bowed himself out.

As soon as Guy was beyond hearing, Gussie's ill-humor found vent. She did
not see why Dexie should leave her work to go about the country with young
men, and Traverse must have regretted his invitation when he caught sight
of Dexie's ridiculous figure, her dress to the top of her boots and a
sun-bonnet that would disgrace a country-woman! But one never knew what
Dexie would do next. Awhile ago she could scarcely speak a civil word to
Mr. Traverse, but now that she knows he expects to be married, her manner
is just the reverse. Reproaches like these fell on Mr. Sherwood's ears