id.

"You poor child!" cried mother. "Indeed I DO see how it was. You've
been a brave girl. A good, brave girl! Father and I are mighty proud
of you!"

"Oh mother! I thought you were ashamed of me!" sobbed Shelley.

"Oh my child!" said mother quavery-like. "Oh my child! You surely see
that none of us could understand, as we do now."

She patted Shelley, and told her to run upstairs and lie down for a
while, because she was afraid she would be sick.

"We mustn't have a pale, tired girl right now," said mother.

"Well!" said Shelley, but she just stood there holding mother.

"Well?" said mother gripping her.

"You see!" said Shelley.

"Child," said mother, "I DO see! I see six feet of as handsome manhood
as I ever have seen anywhere. His manner is perfect, and I find his
speech most attractive. I am delighted with him. I do see indeed!
Your father is quite as proud and pleased as I am. Now go to bed."

Shelley held up her lips, and then went. I ran to the barn, where the
men were standing in the shade, while Leon led his horse up and down
before them, told about its pedigree, its record, how he came to have
it. The Paget man stood there looking and listening gravely, as he
studied the horse. At last he went over her, and gee! but he knew
horse! Then Laddie brought out Flos and they talked all about her, and
then went into the barn. Father opened the east doors to show how much
land he had, which were his lines; and while the world didn't look
quite so pretty as it had in May, still it was good enough. Then they
went into the orchard, sat under the trees and began talking about
business conditions. That was so dry I went back to the house. And
maybe I didn't strike something interesting there!

As I came up the orchard path to a back yard gate, I saw a carriage at
the hitching rack in front of the house, so I took a peep and almost
fell over. It was the one the Princess had come to Sally's wedding in;
so I knew she was in the house visiting Shelley. I went to the parlour
and there I had another shock; for lo and behold! in our big rocking
chair, and looking as well as any one, so far as you could see--of
course you can't see heart trouble, though--sat Mrs. Pryor. The
Princess and mother were there, all of them talking, laughing and
having the best time, while on the davenport enjoying himself as much
as any one, was Mr. Pryor. They talked about everything, and it was
easy to see that th