in the crystalline air. This was an undismayed world that had scoured
itself cheerfully for the dawn, no matter what that might bring. She
nodded her head, seeing the lesson that it read to her.

Ellen ran across the lawn to her, beetle-black in her mourning, but
capering as foals do.

"I'll not have my breakfast till he does," she announced. "Is there
anything I can do for him?"

"Nothing, my dear, I'm afraid. But look at the view. Isn't it lovely?"

The girl clapped her hands. "Oh, it's bonny. And it's neat. It's redded
itself up for Richard's coming."

"'Redded itself up'? What does that mean?"

"Don't you use the word here? English seems to be a terribly poor
language. Redding up means making everything tidy and neat, so that
you're ready for anything."

That was what one must do: red oneself up. It was true that it was no
use doing that for Richard any more, and that there was no one else in
the world for whom she wished to be ready. But she must be schooled by
the spectacle of the earth, for here it was shining fair, and yet it had
nothing to expect; it was but the icing of a cake destined for some
sun's swallowing.

"Is Richard a good riser?" asked Ellen, adopting a severe,
servant-engaging tone to disguise the truth that she was trembling with
desire to see her lover.

"Usually, but he may be late to-day since he went to bed such a short
time ago. He evidently isn't up yet, for his blind's still down. That's
his room on the left."

But as they gazed the blind went up, and they saw him turning away from
the window.

"Oh, why didn't he look at us!" cried Ellen. "Why didn't he look at us?"

"Because he is thinking of nothing but how soon he can get down to
breakfast and meet you," said Marion; but being aware of the quality of
her blood, which was his, she knew that he had not seen his women and
the glittering world because he had risen blind with sullenness.

"Will he be long, do you think?" she pondered. "Not that I'd want him to
miss his bath." She broke into a kind of Highland fling, looking down on
the blue and silver estuary and chanting, "Lovely, lovely," but desisted
suddenly and asked: "Mrs. Yaverland, do you think there's a future
life?"

Marion said lazily, "I shouldn't have thought you need to think out that
problem yet awhile."

"Oh, I'm not worrying for myself. But on a fine day like this I just
hate to think my mother's not getting the benefit of it somewhere. And
seeing your ag