rden bench, were
telling yarns. "Cousin Marjorie," said her juvenile namesake, "we are
going to play drop the handkerchief, because we've got such a lot of
nice people to play it" Miss Carmichael answered: "Oh no, Marjorie, try
some other game." But Marjorie insisted. So, a ring was formed, with
Marjorie as handkerchief holder, outside. The ring consisted of the
Captain and little Susan Carruthers, Mr. Perrowne and Marjorie of the
same family, Coristine and Miss Halbert, Mr. Terry, pipe and all, and
Honoria junior, John Carruthers junior and Miss Carmichael, and baby
Michael, but with whom? Marjorie suggested the two aunties and Tryphosa,
but finally concluded that there had to be an odd one any way, so baby
Michael took the Captain's hand and Miss Carmichael's, and the game
began. Of course Marjorie dropped the handkerchief on her Eugene, and
Eugene caught her and kissed her with great gusto. Then he had to drop
it, and Honoria saluted him with effusion. Mr. Perrowne was her choice,
and the parson, tell it not in Gath, the perfidious parson gave himself
away on Miss Halbert, who captured him, blushed, and submitted. The
Captain and Mr. Terry were becoming indignant and shocked. Miss Halbert
had mercy on John Carruthers junior, who went wild with delight, and
brought out Miss Carmichael. She, pitying the Captain, gave him the
handkerchief and a long chase, but Mr. Thomas finally triumphed, and
chose Susan Carruthers as his victim. Susan took grandpa, who pocketed
his pipe, and, after a sounding smack, passed the handkerchief on to his
grandchild Marjorie. She, true to her name, chose the lawyer, and that
gentleman, emboldened by the parson's precedent, dropped the terrible
symbol on the shoulder of the girl who was all the world to him. She
pursued him, and he ran as he well could do, but at last he got weak and
tired, and she overtook him against her will and his, and Coristine was
in the seventh heaven of delight. They could take him and trample on
him, and flaunt his recreancy before Wilkinson even; he didn't want to
kiss any more, even the fresh young lips of the children. He wanted that
one impression to stay forever.

Miss Du Plessis and the dominie were not in a hurry to get back to
Bridesdale. She had received a letter from her mother, saying that Uncle
Morton was coming to see her, and that she would try to induce him to
accompany her to the country, as she did not wish to shorten her
daughter's brief holiday b