free breath, the old man was obliged to go, lest
the superintendent should return unexpectedly and find him absent. There
was also the fatted calf to be provided: Julius must go across to the
mainland and hunt down a wild turkey.

At dinner Mrs. Manning had this great news to tell her listener--two
now, since Marion had returned.

"Who do you think has come home?" she said, enjoying her words as she
spoke them. "Who but old Mr. Vickery's grandson, Lawrence, his only
living grandchild! He went away thirteen years ago, and one of the
sweetest boys I ever knew he was then.--You remember him, Marion."

"I remember a boy," answered Marion briefly. "He never would finish any
game, no matter what it was, but always wanted to try something new."

"Like his mother," said Mrs. Manning, heaving a reminiscent sigh, and
then laughing. "Sally Telfair used to change about the things in her
work-basket and on her table every day of her life. Let me see--Lawrence
must be twenty-eight now."

"He has come back, I suppose, to take care of his grandfather in his old
age," said Bro, who was eating his dinner in large, slow mouthfuls, in a
manner which might have been called ruminative if ruminating animals
were not generally fat.

"Yes, of course," replied Mrs. Manning, with her comfortable belief in
everybody's good motives.

When Marion and her mother returned home the next day at dusk a third
person was with them as they walked along the track, their figures
outlined clearly against the orange after-glow in the west. Bro, who had
come across for his tea, saw them, and supposed it was young Vickery. He
supposed correctly. Young Vickery came in, staid to tea, and spent the
evening. Bro, as usual, went over to the mill. The next day young
Vickery came again, and the next; the third day the Mannings went over
to the island. Then it began over again.

"I do hope, Bro, that your dinners have been attended to properly," said
Mrs. Manning, during the second week of these visitations.

"Oh, yes, certainly," replied Bro, who would have eaten broiled
rhinoceros unnoticingly.

"You see Mr. Vickery has the old-time ideas about company and visiting
to celebrate a great occasion, and Lawrence's return is, of course,
that. It is a perfect marvel to hear where, or rather where not, that
young man has been."

"Where?" said Bro, obediently asking the usual question which connected
Mrs. Manning's narratives, and gave them a reason for being.