ut for
rattlesnakes, plucking the superb rhododendrons and the flowers of the
calico-bush, and every now and then catching a new glimpse of the
unparalleled crowd of peaks over toward the Tennessee line. Stephen went
everywhere patiently; Honor went delightedly; John Royce went
carelessly; Mrs. Kellinger went as the velvet string which held them all
together; she was so smooth that they slid easily.

But, in the intervals, Wainwright still taught his librarian.

Mrs. Eliot had become Adelaide's warm friend. The sweet-voiced Southern
wife, with her brood of children, and her calm, contented pride,
confided to the Northern stranger the one grief of her life, namely,
that she was the Colonel's second wife, and that he had dearly loved the
first; anxiety as to the uncertain future of her children weighed far
less upon her mind than this. The old-time South preserved the romance
of conjugal love even to silver hairs; there may have been no more real
love than at the North, but there was more of the manner of it. The
second month came to its end; it was now August. Mrs. Kellinger had sent
many persons to the library; she had roused up a general interest in it;
villagers now went there regularly for books, paying a small
subscription-fee, which was added to Honor's salary. Honor thanked her
for this in a rather awkward way. Mrs. Eliot, who was present, did not
consider the matter of consequence enough for thanks. She had never even
spoken to Wainwright of Honor's office of librarian, or the salary which
came out of his pocket. Money-matters were nothing; between friends they
were less than nothing. Stephen had two hours alone with his librarian
every morning, when there was no excursion; Mrs. Kellinger had arranged
that, by inventing a rule and telling it to everybody in a decided tone:
no one was expected at the library before eleven o'clock.

"Did you do this?" said Stephen, when he discovered it.

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because I thought you would like it," replied Adelaide. He looked at
her questioningly; she answered immediately to the look. "You are
interested in a new study of character, Stephen; you are really doing
the child a world of good too; although, as usual, I confess that my
interest in the matter is confined principally to your own
entertainment." She spoke good-humoredly, and almost immediately
afterward left him to himself.

His mind ran back over a long series of little arrangements made for his
pleas