e news of the day, leaving the young married couple to
themselves, for a happy interchange of affection and confidences.

The Harmer household remained unchanged, save for the death of Dan
and the marriage of Reuben; but the sailor had been so little at
home, that there was no great blank left by his absence, and Reuben
was too close at hand to be greatly missed. Janet had not returned
to service. Her mother had been rather horrified at the manner in
which the poor girl had been treated by her mistress when the
plague had appeared in the house. She did not care to send her back
to Lady Howe, and Janet had become so accomplished a nurse, and
took such interest in the life, that she begged to be allowed to
follow the calling of her aunt Dinah, and to spend her time amongst
the sick, wherever she might be needed. So both she and Dinah Morse
lived at the house on the bridge, but went about amongst the sick
in the neighbourhood, generally directed by Dr. Hooker, but
sometimes called specially to urgent cases by neighbours or
friends. Sometimes they returned home at night to sleep, sometimes
they remained for several days or weeks at a time with their
patients, according to their degree and the urgency of the case.
Janet found herself very well content in her new life, and her
mother liked it for her, since it brought her so much more to her
home.

It began to be noted that when Dinah Morse was at the house on the
occasions of the visits of the Master Builder, he addressed a great
part of his conversation to her, seemed never to weary hearing her
talk, and would sit looking reflectively at her when other people
were doing the talking. He had never forgotten how she had come to
them in their hour of dire need, when poor Frederick had sickened
of the fell disease which so soon carried him off. He always
declared that her tenderness to his wife and daughter at that time
had been beyond all price, and it seemed as though his sense of
obligation and gratitude did not lessen with time.

Sometimes James Harmer would say smilingly to his wife:

"Methinks our good neighbour hath a great fancy for Dinah. I always
do say that such a woman as she ought to be the wife of some good
honest man. They might do worse, both of them, than think of
marriage. What think you of Dinah? Tends her fancy that way at
all?"

And at that question Rachel would shake her head wisely and
respond:

"Dinah is not one to wear her heart upon her sleeve!