ture was a little tanned by sun and
wind. Not that the Friends were indifferent to the grace of
complexions, but children were often careless. But even among the
straitest there was a vague appreciation of beauty, as if it were a
delusion and a snare. And the Quaker child glanced at the shining hair,
the clear, pearly skin, the large lustrous eyes, the dainty hand, and
the frock that, though plain, had a certain air like Lord's Day attire,
and was not faded as an every-day garb would be. Then she glanced at
hers, where a tuck had been pulled out to lengthen it, and left a band
of much deeper blue, and the new half sleeves shamed the old tops. Her
heart was filled with sudden envy.

"Thou art not to live here always," she began. "It is only for a brief
while. And I am to stay years, until I am married. Mother's bedding and
linen hath been put in two parcels, one for Rachel, who will be married
first, as she is the eldest, and the other will be mine."

Primrose stared. Bella talked of marriage, but it seemed a great mystery
to Primrose. There was no one she liked but Cousin Andrew, but she liked
liberty better, she thought. Why should one want to get married? The
pretty young girls who came out to the farm had no husbands. Patty had
none and she was talking forever about the trouble they were, and
Mistress Janice and Madam Wetherill----

"But if he should be ill in bed and thou had to sit by him like Aunt
Lois----"

"Uncle is not ill. He hath a broken leg, and that will mend," was the
almost rebuking reply.

"I like the town better. I did not want to come nor to stay, and I am
glad I am not to live here always," Primrose said spiritedly. "I like my
Cousin Andrew----"

"How comes it that he is _thy_ cousin? My mother was own sister to Aunt
Lois, and so _we_ are cousins. Had thy mother any sisters?"

Primrose had not thought much about relationships. Now she was puzzled.

"Our names are alike," after some consideration. "And I was here the
first, a long while ago--last summer."

"But I have been here many times. And now I am to live here. Besides
thou--thou art hardly a Friend any more--I heard Chloe tell Rachel. Thou
art with the vain and frivolous world's people, and Andrew cannot like
thee."

That was too much. The dark eyes turned black with indignation and the
cheeks were scarlet.

"He does like me! Thou art a bad, wicked girl and tellest falsehoods!"

Primrose sprang up and the belligerents faced each o