she asked.

"Trouble! There isn't any trouble. You and Lute seem to be looking for
trouble."

"Don't have to look far to find it, in this world. Anything wrong at the
bank?"

"No."

"Um-hm. Settin' so long on the fence make you uneasy? I told you the
pickets would wear through if you roosted on 'em too long."

"There is nothing the matter, I tell you. How is Mother?"

"She ain't any wuss. If 'twan't an impossibility I'd say she was better
the last month than I'd seen her since she was took. Nellie Dean called
on her this afternoon."

"Humph! I should think a next week's bride would be too busy to call on
any one except possibly the dressmaker."

"Um-hm. Well, Nellie looks as if she'd been callin' on the dressmaker
pretty often. Anyhow she looked worried and Olindy Cahoon's dressmakin'
gabble is enough to worry anybody. She left a note for you."

"Who? Olinda?"

"Land sakes! no! What would Olindy be doin' down here? There ain't
any brides to dress in this house, or bridegrooms either unless you're
cal'latin' to be one, or Lute turns Mormon. That last notion ain't such
a bad one," with a dry smile. "Another wife or two to help me take care
of him would come in handy."

"Who did leave the note for me, then?"

"Nellie, of course. She wanted me to be sure you got it. Somethin' about
that wonderful weddin', I s'pose. I left it upstairs on your bureau."

I found the note and put it in my pocket to read later on. I did not
feel like reading it then. I did not feel like doing anything or seeing
any one; yet least of all did I feel like being alone. For if I was
alone I should think, and I did not want to think. I prowled about my
room for a time and then went down and spent a short time with Mother.
Her first question was concerning my day at the bank, and her second if
I had seen any of the Coltons recently. "I rather hoped Miss Mabel would
come to see me to-day," she added. "I look forward to her visits so, I
think she's a real friend of ours, Roscoe. I know you don't, dear,
or you try to believe you do not; but she is--I am convinced of it. I
wonder if she will come to-morrow."

I could have put a stop to her wondering on that subject, but I was in
no mood to do it then. I went into the dining-room. Dorinda warned me
not to go far from the house because supper would be ready in a few
minutes. The word "supper" reminded me of my unfortunate choice of an
excuse and the sarcastic reference to our odd domestic