said Mrs. Derrick pleasantly,--"I
havent tried many. And you can't tell how I feel, Miss Sophy it isn't
cross, if it sounds so. How long has Dr. Harrison had those horses?"

"Why, not very long," said Miss Harrison,--"he hasn't been home long
himself. But he's a good judge of horses," she said, a little less sure
of her ground than in the former part of the conversation. Perhaps she
was not sorry to have it interrupted.

"My dear Mrs. Derrick!" said Mr. Somers entering,--"I have come to
congratulate you! Miss Harrison, I see, is before me in this
pleasant--a--office. Miss Faith!--I am glad to see you looking so well
after your overthrow." Mr. Somers went round shaking hands as he
spoke.--"Mrs. Somers will be here presently to join me--she stopped a
few minutes by the way. Mrs. Somers always has more business on hand
than I can--a--keep up with. Mrs. Derrick, I have rejoiced with you,
indeed, ma'am."

Somers had managed to keep up with her business and him too, for she
came in before Mr. Somers had well taken the measure of his chair. She
walked up to Faith and kissed her, with a sort of glad energy, gave her
a comprehensive glance from head to foot, and then turned to Mrs.
Derrick with,

"There's nothing amiss with _her_, after all.--Sophy, what excuses have
you brought in your bag?--it seems to be full."

"I wish you'd make some for Julius, aunt Ellen--I can see Mrs. Derrick
has only half forgiven him."

"Has she got so far as that?" said Mrs. Somers.

"I don't know. Faith, _you_ might come and say something--you know if
it isn't true; and Mrs. Derrick will hear you."

Faith was busy giving Mrs. Somers a chair, and certainly looked as if
_she_ had nobody to forgive anything in the wide world.

"What do you want me to say, Sophy?"

"Why, that Julius wasn't to blame."

"I find it is still a disputed point, whether a man has a right to
break his own neck," said Mrs. Somers. "I think he hasn't, myself, but
most people don't agree with me. Mr. Somers thinks people may run away
alone or together, just as they've a mind. I don't know whether it's
the fees or the freedom that takes his fancy."

"I suppose, my dear," said Mr. Somers, "a man may lawfully set out to
take a ride without intending to break his own neck, or anybody else's;
and find it done at the end, without blame to himself. I never was, I
hope, a promoter of--ha!--flighty marriages--to which you seem to
allude."

"If he finds it done at the end,