y," continued
Gertrude with a little sigh. "They were a wild, reckless lot so far
back as I can learn, and I--well, you couldn't call me wild and
reckless, could you?"

Mrs. McVeigh smiled at the query and shook her head. "Not the least
little bit, and we are glad of it." She walked over to the window
looking across the far fields where the road showed a glimpse of
itself as it wound by the river. "I thought I saw some one on
horseback over there, and every horseman coming our way is of special
interest just now. I look for word from Kenneth daily--if not from the
boy himself; he has had time to be home now. His stay has already been
longer than he expected."

Gertrude joined her and gave her attention to the head of the road.

"It may be your visitor from France, Evilena said she had gone riding.
Of course you know we are all eager to meet her. Dr. Delaven sings her
praises to us until it has become tantalizing."

"We should have driven over to see you but for that accident to her
maid--the poor thing, except a few words, could only speak her own
language, and we could not leave her entirely to the servants. Madame
Caron seemed quite impressed with the brief glance she got of
Loringwood, and when she heard it was likely to be sold she asked a
great many interested questions concerning it. She is wealthy enough
to humor her fancies, and her latest one is a Carolina plantation near
enough to water for her yacht, which Mobile folks say is the most
beautiful thing--and the Combahee would always be navigable for so
small a craft, and the Salkahatchie for most of the year."

"She certainly must be able to humor any sort of fancy if she keeps a
yacht of her own; that will be a new departure for a woman in
Carolina. It sounds very magnificent."

"It is; and it suits her. That is one reason why I thought she might
be the very best possible purchaser for Loringwood. She would
resurrect all its former glories, and establish new ones."

Matthew Loring entered the sitting room, moving somewhat haltingly
with the help of a cane. Gertrude arranged a chair near the window, in
which he seated himself slowly.

"Do you feel tired after the ride, Uncle?"

"No," he said, fidgetting with the cushion back of his head, and
failing to adjust it to suit him, either let it fall or threw it on
the floor. Gertrude replaced it without a word, and Mrs. McVeigh
smiled quietly, and pretended not to see.

"I think I can promise you a pleas