hat no lengthened call was
necessary, and they reached Beechwood in season to allow quite a long
chat between the lady cousins before it would be time for Mrs. Travilla
and her son to set out on their return to Ion.

They found Mr. Lilburn and Annis seated upon the front veranda, she
with a bit of needlework in her hands, he reading aloud to her. He
closed his book as the carriage drove up, and laying it aside, hastened
to assist his Cousin Elsie to alight, greeting her with warmth of
affection as he did so. Annis dropped her work and hastened to meet and
embrace her, saying:

"Oh, but I am glad to see you, Elsie! I had letters this morning from
Mildred and Zilla, both bringing a great deal of love to you and a
cordial invitation to you and yours--as well as my husband and
myself--to pay them a visit this summer. They have not yet heard of
Rosie's approaching marriage, I find."

"But must hear of it very soon," Elsie said with a smile. "As soon as
the important day is fixed upon I must send out my invitations; and you
may rest assured that none of our relatives will be forgotten or
neglected; certainly not one of your sisters or brothers."

"No, my dear cousin, it would not be at all like you to neglect any of
them," returned Annis with a smile of loving appreciation. "Ah, Harold!"
turning to him as, having secured his horse, he came up the veranda
steps and joined their little group, "I am glad to see you; especially
as, like a dear, good boy, you have brought your mother along."

"Yes," he said, grasping cordially the hand she held out, "I find I am
sure of a welcome anywhere when I am fortunate enough to induce mother
to accompany me. Sick or well, everybody is glad to see her."

"You also, I presume; especially if they are sick."

"And can't get Cousin Arthur," he added. "A young doctor is better than
none; though an old and tried physician is deemed the best--by sensible
people."

"Ah, ha; ah, ha; um, hm! so it would seem, laddie, yet sometimes the
young fellows hae a new trick the auld hardly ken aboot," remarked
Cousin Ronald with a good-humoured smile. "And for my ain sel' I should
care little--were I ill--whether it were Doctor Arthur or Doctor Harold
that prescribed the remedies to be used."

"Or Doctor Herbert; Herbert might do just as well as either of the two,
I presume," added Annis.

"We have just come from a call at Roselands to see Marian and your
little namesake, Cousin Ronald," said Mrs. T