indeed. Now come right in
and sit down, and let me look at you, for I'd like to do so, yes I
would. There--hum! ha, I never expected to get this close to you and be
safe. And you called me Uncle Ridley too. Do it of your own accord?"

"Yes, sir."

"Going to do it again?"

"If you want me to?"

"Want you to! God bless my soul! Just listen. I never was a downright,
unvarnished heathen, but twice in my life; and I guess you know about
both of those times, and my first request is that you let them slide
from your memory. The Lord knows I'd like to! Yes, child, I want you to
call me uncle, I hoped you would, but I wasn't going to ask you to.
Before I die, I would like to be a better uncle to Robert's children
than I ever was to him."

[Illustration: "WHY, HOW DO YOU DO, MY DEAR CHILD?"]

Olive found that what little of the old dislike that lingered in her
memory was fast vanishing, but before she could speak, he had whisked
back into his odd, abrupt way.

"What stupids we are, to be sure; never ask you to take off your things,
or wash your face; and it's dirty sure as I'm alive! but then, there's
enough smoke and dust and stuff, between here and New York, to dirty the
faces of all the angel hosts, so you needn't mind; though I don't
suppose you do; bless me! no; but then, you had better go and wash it.
Jeanie, Olive is ready to go up stairs."

Jean had been fluttering about Olive's chair in impatient eagerness, and
now signified her readiness to act as guide by seizing her hand and
hurrying out.

"I was so afraid he would keep you there to talk," she said, as they
went up the wide stairway, and through the hall, that made Olive open
her eyes in spite of herself, for she never had seen such lavish display
of elegance; and she was immediately seized with an old feeling of
awkward strangeness, that brought a defiant color to her face, as she
thought of any one discovering that she was unused to any elegance or
custom that might reign in Congreve Hall.

"Uncle Ridley had these rooms fixed for you," said Jean, throwing open
a large door, and ushering her in. "See, aren't they just beautiful?"

"Yes, indeed," exclaimed Olive in quick delight; for they were certainly
gems to make a girl rejoice. Three, with a bath-room, all complete, and
looking like Titania's bower in their delicate green coloring and bamboo
furniture. The carpets were like untouched moss clinging fresh and
sweet, to mother-rocks, and to Olive, it se