now that I _could_ be so glad to get back to these old tables
and chairs," she exclaimed. "It actually gives you a real thrill to be
welcomed by something that's known you since babyhood, doesn't it?"

"Yes," answered Jack. "They've been considerably mixed up with our
family history, and bear more of the scars of our battles than we do.
That little chair of Joyce's for instance. Back in the days of my kilts
and curls I used to kick dents in it every time we had a scrap, because
I couldn't fight a girl, and I had to let off steam some way."

"This is my especial friend," said Mary. She dropped into a wide rocker
that held out welcoming arms. "Holland and I used to play in this by the
hour. It's a wonder there's anything left of it. We had it for a
stage-coach so many times, and turned over in it whenever it was
attacked by the Indians. I used to curl up in it before the fire, to
read or dream or cry in it, till it knows me in all my moods and tenses.
Some of these days, when I go to live in my old Kentucky home, I shall
ask mamma to let me take it with me just for old times' sake."

Jack opened the door of the clock and began winding the weights that had
hung idle for nearly a year. When the swinging pendulum once more began
its deep-toned tick-tock, he looked back over his shoulder with a smile.

"Now I feel that I'm really at home when I hear that voice. As far back
as I can remember it's always been saying, 'All _right_! All _right_!' I
made the nurse carry it back into the kitchen where I couldn't hear it
the day the doctor told me I could never walk again. Its cheerfulness
nearly drove me wild when I knew that everything was so hopelessly all
wrong. But now listen!" he insisted exultantly. "Everything _is_ all
right now, and every day is Thanksgiving Day to me the year around."

There was a huskiness in his voice as he added, "Nobody can know what it
means to me--the blessedness of being able to go to work."

He dashed away to the office soon after to discover what had been done
in his long absence. Norman hurried through the tasks assigned to him as
soon as possible, impatient to be off to explore old haunts with Billy
Downs. Two pairs of quick, capable hands made light work of the cleaning
and unpacking that had to be done that day, and accomplished much more
that might have been left till another time had not Mary's usual zeal
for getting everything in proper place in the least possible time taken
possession