eranda the rapturous meeting of mother and
daughter, sighed, a quick, impatient catching of the breath, and
turned to enter the library through the open French windows.
Reconsidering her intention, she halted, and waited at the head of the
broad steps where Kenneth's sister saw her for the first time and came
to her with a pleased, half shy greeting, and where Kenneth's mother
slipped one arm around each as they entered the house, and between the
two she felt welcomed into the very heart of the McVeigh family
feminine.

"Oh, and mama!"--thus exclaimed Evilena as she was comfortably
ensconced in the same chair with that lady--"there is so much news to
tell you I don't know where to begin. But Gertrude sends love--please
don't go, Madame Caron--I am only going to talk about the neighbors.
And they are all coming over very soon, and the best of all is,
Gertrude has at last coaxed Uncle Matthew (a roguish grimace at the
title) to give up Loringwood entirely and come to the Pines. And Dr.
Delaven--he's delightful, mama, when he isn't teasing folks--he
strongly advises them to make the change soon; and, oh, won't you ask
them all over for a few weeks until the Pines is ready? And did you
hear about two of their field hands running off? Well, they did. Scip
and Aleck; isn't it too bad? and Mr. Loring doesn't know it yet, no
one dares tell him; and Masterson's Cynthia had a boy run off, too,
and went to the Yankees, they suppose. And old Nelse he got scared
sick at a ghost last night while they were 'possum hunting. And, oh,
mama, have you heard from Ken?--not a word has come here, and he never
even saw Gertrude over there. He must be powerful busy if he could not
stop long enough to hunt friends up and say 'howdy.'"

"Lena, Lena, child!" and the mother sank back in her chair, laughing.
"Have they enforced some silent system of existence on you since I
have been down at Mobile? I declare, you fairly make my head swim with
your torrent of news and questions. Judithe, does not this young lady
fulfill the foreign idea of the American girl--a combination of the
exclamation and interrogation point?"

Evilena stopped further criticism by kisses.

"I will be good as goodness rather than have Madame Caron make up her
mind I am silly the very first day," she promised, "but, oh, mama, it
_is_ so good to have you to talk to, and so delightful of Madame to
come with you"--this with a swift, admiring side glance at their
visitor--"and,