nie--it's nearly time they were home."

"Well, they meant to 'ave a long day's work fixin' the 'ouse," said
Brownie comfortably. "Mrs. Archdale druv me over to see them, an' Sarah
gave us all afternoon tea--she an' Bill are real toffs in their little
new cottage there. Sarah ain't indulgin' in any regrets over that fire!
And they were all busy as bees. Miss Tommy's room's fixed, an' her
little sleep-out place off it, and so's Mr. Bob's, an' they were workin'
at the drorin'-room; 'omelike it looked with all their nice old things
in it again."

"I'm sure it will," David Linton agreed. "How do you like the new house,
Brownie?"

"Why, it's lovely," said Brownie. "An' a fair treat to work, with all
them new improvements--no corners to the rooms, an' no silly skirtin'
boards that'll catch dust, an' the water laid on everywhere, an' the air
gas, an' all them other patent fixings. An' so comferable; better than
the old one, any way you look at it. Miss Tommy's the lucky young lady
to be comin' in for such a place."

"Well, she deserves it, Brownie."

"She do," said Brownie heartily. "Ain't it lovely to see Miss Norah an'
'er so 'appy together? Our blessed lamb never 'ad a friend like that
before, and she needed one--every girl do."

"Long may it last, that's all I say," agreed the squatter. "Norah needed
her badly, although she didn't know it. And she and her brother are the
best type of immigrants, aren't they?"

"They are that," said Brownie, "always cheery, an' workin' 'ard, an'
takin' the ups and downs sensibly. Now, it was a real nasty knock to
find their nice little 'ome burnt down on New Year's day, but after the
first shock they never 'ung their lip at all--just bucked in to make
good again."

She went on her way with her asters, and David Linton walked slowly
across the lawn and stood looking over the gate, along the track where
his children would come riding home. Somehow, he found it difficult not
to think of them all as his children. Wally had made an attempt to go
away and set up a place for himself, but the idea had been received with
such amazed horror by the whole household that it had been temporarily
shelved. After all, Wally had more money than was good for him, the
result of having always been an orphan. He could establish himself in a
place at any time if he wished. And meanwhile, he was never idle. David
Linton had handed over most of the outside management of the big run
to Jim and his mate. The