e Nevitts could not have been overstocked with beauty."

"How thou dost flout the poor lad! I wonder that he loves thee at all!"

"But I love him," with charming serenity.

"And show it queerly."

Primrose gave her light, rippling laugh.

"I think"--after a pause, twirling her sewing around by the thread--"I
think we will all take a walk about the dear old town. Then we will come
home and have tea, and rest ourselves."

"But why not ride? I am too old and too stout to be trotting about, and
Patty is hardly----"

"Patty will flirt with my fine cousin. Oh, I have caught her at it. You
would be amazed to know the secrets they have with each other, and the
low-toned talk that goes on. I have to be severe, and to be severe on
one's birthday would be hard indeed."

Madam Wetherill laughed.

"Betty Mason was complaining of being so mewed up all winter. And now
her baby is old enough to leave, and she might come down and see the
changes planned for the town, and the other changes since the winter she
had her gay fling. What a little girl I was! And she being a widow can
watch us, but Phil has such sharp eyes that he might be a veritable
dragon. He will not let me buy a bit of candied calamus unless the boy
is under ten, he is so afraid I shall be looked at. And there will be
Polly's brother to watch her. But Betty will have two attendants, which
is hardly fair, and she thinks Gilbert Vane quite a hero."

"And Andrew Henry?"

"Oh, she is soft-hearted about him because he has lost his fortune. And
Gilbert Vane is like to lose his in the general settling up. So she can
administer the same kind of consolation to both."

"Thou hast a shrewd way of allotting matters. Poor Betty! It will be
nice to ask her since you both have brothers to watch over you. And you
will not stray very far? Then what delicacies will you have for supper?"

"Oh, we shall be hungry as wolves. I must see what Mistress Kent can
give us. She thinks soldiers have grown hollow by much tramping and
cannot be filled up."

Madam Wetherill smiled indulgently.

They all promised to come. Julius went out on Wednesday and brought in
Betty, who was delighted with the outing.

But when Primrose opened her eyes at six in the morning there was a
gentle patter everywhere, and dashes on the window pane. But, oh! how
sweet all the air was, and the clouds were having a carnival in the sky,
chasing each other about in the vain endeavor to cover up the bits of