en at the table.

Polk maneuvered for a seat at the head of my festive board, with a spark
of the devil in his eyes, but Jasper's sense of the proprieties did not
fail me, and he seated Cousin Martha in Father's chair, with great
ceremony.

And as I looked down the long table, bright with all the old silver
Jasper had had time to polish, gay with roses from my garden, that he
had coaxed Henrietta into gathering for him, which nodded back and
forth with the bubbling babies, suddenly my heart filled to the very
brim with love of it all--and for mine own people.

But, just as suddenly, a vision came into my mind of the long table
across the road at Widegables, with the Mossback seated at one end with
only two or three of his charges stretched along the empty sides to keep
him company.

I wanted him to be here with us! I wanted him badly, and I went to get
him. I excused myself suddenly, telling them all just why. I didn't look
at Polk, but Cousin Martha's face was lovely, as she told me to run
quickly.

I found him on the front porch, smoking his pipe alone, while the two
little relics, whom he had had left to dine with him, were taking their
two respective naps. Our dinner was late on account of the initiation of
Petunia, and he had finished before we began.

"I stole most of your family to-day," I plunged headlong into my
errand, "but I want you, too, most of all."

"You've got me, even if you do prefer to keep me across the road from
you," he answered, with the most solemn expression on his face, but with
a crinkle of a smile in the corners of his deep eyes.

I can't remember when I didn't look with eagerness for that crinkle in
his eyes, even when I was a child and he what I at that time considered
a most glorious grownup individual, though he must have been the most
helpless hobbledehoy that ever existed.

"You don't need another vine," I answered mutinously.

"You know I want you, but Jasper's is the privilege of looking after
you," he answered calmly. "I want you to be happy, Evelina," and I knew
as I raised my eyes to his that I could consider myself settled in my
own home.

"Well, then, come and have dinner number two with me," I answered with
a laugh that covered a little happy sigh that rose from my heart at the
look in the kind eyes bent on mine.

I felt, Jane, you would have approved of that look! It was so human to
human.

He came over with me, and that was one jolly party in the old
dining-