eat love for
his daughter, was more than pleased that affairs had turned out in this
way. But there was one beside Abigail who was not wholly satisfied.
August spent half the night in protesting in vain against Andrew's
transfer of the river-farm to him. But Andrew said he had a right to
give away his own if he chose. And there was no turning him. For if
August refused a share in it, he would give it to Julia, and if she
refused it, he would find somebody who would accept it.

The next day after the settlement at Samuel Anderson's, August came to
claim his wife. Mrs. Abigail had now employed a "help" in Cynthy Ann's
place, and Julia could be spared. August had refused all invitations to
take up his temporary residence with Julia's parents. The house had
unpleasant associations in his mind, and he wanted to relieve Julia at
once and forever from a despotism to which she could not offer any
effectual resistance. Mrs. Anderson had eagerly loaded the wagon with
feather-beds and other bridal property, and sent it over to the castle,
that Julia might appear to leave with her blessing. She kissed Julia
tenderly, and hoped she'd have a happy life, and told her that if her
husband should ever lose his property or treat her badly--such things
_may_ happen, you know--then she would always find a home with her
mother. Julia thanked her for the offer of a refuge to which she never
meant to flee under any circumstances. And yet one never turns away from
one's home without regret, and Julia looked back with tears in her eyes
at the chattering swifts whose nests were in the parlor chimney, and at
the pee-wee chirping on the gate-post. The place had entered into her
life. It looked lonesome now, but within a year afterward Norman
suddenly married Betsey Malcolm. Betsey's child had died soon after its
birth, and Mrs. Anderson set herself to manage both Norman and his wife,
who took up their abode with her. Nothing but a reign of terror could
have made either of them of any account, but Mrs. Anderson furnished
them this in any desirable quantity. They were never of much worth, even
under her management, but she kept them in bounds, so that Norman ceased
to get drunk more than five or six times a year, and Betsey flirted but
little and at her peril.

Once the old house was out of sight, there were no shadows on Julia's
face as she looked forward toward the new life. She walked in a still
happiness by August as they went down through Shady