a golf ball flew by them,
and a moment later the white-clad, unbent figure of Mrs. Bedelia
Satterthwaite Nesbit appeared, bare-headed and bare-armed, and behind
her trotted the devoted white figure of the Doctor, carrying two golf
sticks.

"Chained to her chariot--to make a Roman holiday," piped the Doctor.
"She's taking this exercise for my health."

"Well, James," replied his wife rather definitely, "I know you need it!"

"And that settles it," cried the little man shrilly, "say, Nate, if we
men ever get the ballot, I'm going to take a stand for liberty."

"I'm with you, Doctor," replied the young man.

"Nate," he mocked in his comical falsetto, "as you grow older and get
further and further from your mother's loving care, you'll find that
there was some deep-seated natural reason why we men should lead the
sheltered life and leave the hurly-burly of existence to the women."

From long habit, in such cases Mrs. Nesbit tried not to smile and, from
long habit, failed. "Doctor Jim," she cried as he picked up her ball,
and set it for her, "don't make a fool of yourself."

The little man patted the earth under the ball, and looked up and said
as he took her hand, and obviously squeezed it for the spectators, as he
rose.

"My dear--it's unnecessary. You have made one of me every happy minute
for forty years," and smiling at the lovers and their children, he took
the hand held out for him after she had sent the ball over the hill, and
they went away as he chuckled over his shoulder and cheeped: "Into the
twilight's purple rim--through all the world she followed him," and
trotting behind her as she went striding into the sunset, they
disappeared over the hill.

When they had disappeared Anne began thinking of her picnic. She and
Nathan left the children at the lake, and walked to the club house for
the baskets. On the veranda they met Captain Morton in white flannels
with a gorgeous purple necktie and a panama hat of a price that made
Anne gasp. He came bustling up to Anne and Nathan and said:

"Surprise party--I'm going to give the girls a little surprise party
next week--next Tuesday, and I want you to come--what say? Out
here--next Tuesday night--going to have all the old friends--every one
that ever bought a window hanger, or a churn, or a sewing machine, or a
Peerless cooker, or a Household Horse--but keep it quiet--surprise on
the girls, eh?"

When they had accepted, the Captain lowered his voice and said