ing
was quite audible here about the rest of the bill, but finally he
smiled in response to Carroll's low, even reply, raised his hat,
sprang into his carriage, and turned round in a neat circle while
Carroll came up the steps.

"Arthur, dear, where have you been?" asked his wife, folding soft,
silken arms around his neck and putting up her smiling face for his
kiss. "We have not heard a word from you since you went away."

"You got my telegram?" replied Carroll, interrogatively, kissing her,
and passing on to his daughters. Eddy, meantime, was clinging to one
of his father's hands and making little leaps upon him like a pet dog.

"Yes," cried everybody together, "the telegram just came--just a
minute ago."

Anna had kissed her brother, then stepped quietly into the house. The
others moved slowly after her.

"How are you, old man?" Carroll asked Major Arms.

"First rate," replied Arms, grasping the proffered hand, yet in a
somewhat constrained fashion.

"Why didn't you write, Arthur dear?" Mrs. Carroll asked, yet not in
the least complainingly or reproachfully. On the contrary, she was
smiling at him with the sweetest unreserve of welcome as she entered
the dining-room by his side.

"Breakfast is getting cold, papa," said Charlotte. "Come right in."

"We have got a bully breakfast. No end to eat," said Eddy, as he
danced at his father's heels.

Carroll need not have answered his wife's question then, for her
attention was diverted from it, but he did. "I was very busy, dear,"
he said, rather gravely. "You were no less in mind. In fact, I never
had you all any more in mind."

"You must have had a hard night's journey, papa," Charlotte said, as
they all sat down at the table, and Marie brought in the eggs.

"Yes, I had a very hard night," Carroll replied, still with a curious
gravity.

Charlotte regarded him anxiously. "Why, papa," she said, "aren't you
well?"

"Very well indeed, honey," Carroll replied, and he smiled then.

The others looked at him. "Why, papa, you _do_ look sick!" cried Ina.

"Arthur, dear, you look as if you had been ill a month, and I never
noticed it till now, I was so glad to see you," cried Mrs. Carroll.
Suddenly she jumped from her seat and passed behind her husband's
chair and drew his head to her shoulder. "Arthur, dearest, are you
ill?"

"No, I am not, sweetheart."

"But, Arthur, you have lost twenty pounds!"

"Nonsense, dear!"

"Haven't you had anything to eat, papa