rniture were of
the rough-and-ready order. When a too independent help, finding her
mistress didn't suit, gave herself an hour's warning, and went up North,
Coey or Crickey would resignedly cook the family meals till an
opportunity arrived to get another, and as, in addition to those
occasional calls upon them, they were their own dressmakers, they had
less time to get discontented with the monotony of the lake than might
otherwise have been the case.

Bluebell was taken round by the two girls to visit their garden and
poultry-yard. The latter was a source of profit, as they supplied the
house, and drove hard bargains with their mother for the chickens and
eggs. She also was shown their own room, and the rose-wreathed, green
tarlatane, which Miss Crickey explained with conscious pride she was to
wear at a city assembly next week. "I am to stay with my uncle--he has a
large dry-good-store at ----, but he lives on Brock." She was also warned
off trespassing by the full account of Coey's engagement, and by that
time Bernard had arrived to escort the girls for a ramble in the woods.

Crickey, on the principle of doing as she would be done by, marched
Bluebell on in front, so that the others might linger behind, and make
love upon the usual pattern. It was customary at the lake for to tuck
their _fiancees_ under their arm, and cast incessant sheep's eyes at
them, much conversation was not _de rigueur_.

Bernard, however, was somewhat discontented: he thought there were
innumerable opportunities for that kind of thing; so his eyes wandered
from the face of his love to Bluebell's round waist and waving hair.
Instead of incessantly squeezing her arm, he barely held it, and finally
dropped it to remove a briar from the skirt of his distractor.

Bluebell smiled with her big blue eyes, perhaps more gratefully than the
service demanded, which encouraged the youth to commence conversation.
The few platitudes he attempted might have been the most sparkling wit
from the animation with which they were received. Surprised to find
himself so agreeable, he lingered by her side. Crickey, expecting him
every minute to fall back, remained by Bluebell, so poor Coey trudged
behind, and began to experience what jealousy was.

After a while, the others tried to bring her into the conversation by
appeals to her opinion, but Coey was not to be so easily propitiated, and
returned austere answers.

Then Bernard, thinking he might as well be hu