ned to his backy and his
clay pipe.

In the love and tender care with which she was surrounded, Amy's mind
recovered its balance to a great extent, with an occasional lapse when
anything reminded her of her life in California as a public singer, or
when she was very tired. She was greatly interested in Eloise's wedding,
which was fixed for the 10th of January, her twentieth birthday. Jack,
who came from New York every week, would have liked what he called a
blow-out, but the recent death of the Colonel and Amy's mourning
precluded that, and only a very few were bidden to the ceremony, which
took place in the drawing-room of the Crompton House, instead of the
church. Amy gave the bride away, and a stranger would never have
suspected that she was what Jakey called quar. After Eloise left for her
bridal trip she began to assume some responsibility as mistress of the
house and to understand Mr. Ferris a little when he talked to her on
business. Jake was a kind of ballast to her during Eloise's absence, but
a Northern winter did not agree with the old man, who wore nearly as
much clothing to keep him warm as Harry Gill, and then complained of
the cold.

"Florida suits me best, and I've a kind of hankerin' for de ole place
whar deys all buried," he said, and in the spring he returned to his
Lares and Penates, leaving Amy a little unsettled with his loss, but she
soon recovered her spirits in the excitement of going abroad.

It was Jack who suggested this trip, which he thought would benefit them
all, and early in May they sailed for Europe, taking Ruby with them, not
in any sense as a waiting maid, as some ill-natured ones suggested, but
as a companion to Amy, and as the friend who had been so kind to Eloise
in her need.

That summer Howard was a conspicuous figure at a fashionable watering
place with his fast horse and stylish buggy, and every other appearance
of wealth and luxury. He had received his twenty thousand dollars and
more, too, for Eloise was disposed to be very generous toward him, and
Amy assented to whatever she suggested.

"I'll have one good time and spend a whole year's interest if I choose,"
he said, and he had a good time and made love to a little Western
heiress, whose eyes were like those of Eloise, and first attracted him
to her, and who before the season was over promised to be his wife.

Just before she left for Europe Eloise brought her grandmother, Mrs.
Smith, from Mayville, and established