ise on the smooth
road, and the feet of the oxen falling almost soundlessly, they all
heard it; and they all felt it. It was nothing less than an echo of
what Lois had been repeating; a mute "Even so!"--probably unconscious,
and certainly undesigned. Mrs. Lenox glanced that way. There was a
far-off look on the old worn face, and lines of peace all about the
lips and the brow and the quiet folded hands. Mrs. Lenox did not know
that a sigh came from herself as her eyes turned away.

Her husband eyed the three women curiously. They were a study to him,
albeit he hardly knew the grammar of the language in which so many
things seemed to be written on their faces. Mrs. Armadale's features,
if strong, were of the homeliest kind; work-worn and weather-worn, to
boot; yet the young man was filled with reverence as he looked from the
hands in their cotton gloves, folded on her lap, to the hard features
shaded and framed by the white sun-bonnet. The absolute, profound calm
was imposing to him; the still peace of the spirit was attractive. He
looked at his wife; and the contrast struck even him. Her face was
murky. It was impatience, in part, he guessed, which made it so; _but_
why was she impatient? It was cloudy with unhappiness; and she ought to
be very happy, Mr. Lenox thought; had she not everything in the world
that she cared about? How could there be a cloud of unrest and
discontent on her brow, and those displeased lines about her lips? His
eye turned to Lois, and lingered as long as it dared. There was peace
too, very sunny, and a look of lofty thought, and a brightness that
seemed to know no shadow; though at the moment she was not smiling.

"Are you not going on, Miss Lothrop?" he said gently; for he felt Mrs.
Barclay's eye upon him. And, besides, he wanted to provoke the girl to
speak more.

"I could go on till I tired you," said Lois.

"I do not think you could," he returned pleasantly. "What can we do
better? We are in a most pastoral frame of mind, with pastoral
surroundings; poetry could not be better accompanied."

"When one gets excited in talking, perhaps one had better stop," Lois
said modestly.

"On the contrary! Then the truth will come out best."

Lois smiled and shook her head. "We shall soon be at the shore.
Look,--this way we turn down to go to it, and leave the high road."

"Then make haste!" said Mr. Lenox. "It will sound nowhere better than
here."

"Yes, go on," said his wife now, raising her