So work our way--"

"Always making purchases?" said Lois, laughing, though she caught her
breath too, and her colour was growing high.

"Certainly, making purchases. So work our way along, and get to
Switzerland early in June--say by the end of the first week."

"Switzerland!"

"Don't you want to see Switzerland?"

"But it is not the question, what I might like to see."

"With me it is."

"As for that, I have an untirable appetite for seeing things.
But--but," and her voice lowered, "I can be quite happy enough on this
side."

"Not if I can make you happier on the other."

"But that depends. I should not be happy unless I was quite sure it was
right, and the best thing to do; and it looks to me like a piece of
self-indulgence. We have so much already."

The gentle manner of this scruple and frank admission touched Mr.
Dillwyn exceedingly.

"I think it is right," he said. "Do you remember my telling you once
about my old house at home?"

"Yes, a little."

"I think I never told you much; but now you will care to hear. It is a
good way from this place, in Foster county, and not very far from a
busy little manufacturing town; but it stands alone in the country, in
the midst of fields and woods that I used to love very much when I was
a boy. The place never came into my possession till about seven or
eight years ago; and for much longer than that it has been neglected
and left without any sort of care. But the house is large and
old-fashioned, and can be made very pretty; and the grounds, as I
think, leave nothing to be desired, in their natural capabilities.
However, all is in disorder, and needs a good deal of work done up on
it; which must be done before you take possession. This work will
require some months. Where can we be better, meanwhile, than in
Switzerland?"

"Can the work be done without you?"

"Yes."

He waited a bit. The new things at work in Lois's mind made the new
expression of manner and feature a most delicious study to him. She had
a little difficulty in speaking, and he was still and watched her.

"I am afraid to talk about it," she said at length,

"Why?"

"I should like it so much!"--

"Therefore you doubt?"

"Yes. I am afraid of listening just to my own pleasure."

"You shall not," said he, laughing. "Listen to mine. I want to see your
eyes open at the Jung Frau, and Mont Blanc."

"My eyes open easily at anything," said Lois, yielding to the
laugh;--"they are such ign