"Bennett, what does this mean?" he inquired. "Where are these goods

going?"

"To the camp, sir."

"Surely not to the mining camp, Bennett; you must be mistaken."

"No mistake about it, sir; they goes to Camp Bird to-morrow morning;

them's Mrs. Dean's orders."

Darrell was more touched than he cared to betray. He went at once to the

house, and in the hall, dim with the early twilight, was met by Mrs.

Dean herself.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Darrell," she began, "but you can't occupy your room

to-night; you'll have to take the one adjoining on the south. Your room

was torn up to-day, and we haven't got it put to rights yet."

"Mrs. Dean," Darrell answered, his voice slightly unsteady, "you are too

kind; it breaks a fellow all up and makes this sort of thing the

harder!"

Mrs. Dean turned on the light as though for a better understanding.

"I don't see any special kindness in turning you out of your room on

your last night here," she remarked, quietly, "but we couldn't get it

settled."

Darrell could not restrain a smile as he replied, "I'm afraid it will be

some time before it is settled with the furniture packed out there in

the stables."

"Have you been to the stables?" she exclaimed, in dismay.

A smile was sufficient answer.

"If that isn't too bad!" she continued; "I was going to have that wagon

sent ahead in the morning before you were up and have it for a surprise

when you got there, and now it's all spoiled. I declare, I'm too

disappointed to say a word!"

"But, Mrs. Dean," Darrell interposed, hastily, as she turned to leave,

"you need not feel like that; the surprise was just as genuine and as

pleasant as though it had been as you intended; besides, I can thank you

now, whereas I couldn't then."

"That's just what I didn't want, and don't want now," she answered,

quickly; "if there is anything I can do for you, God knows I'll do it

the same as though you were my own son, and I want no thanks for it,

either." And with these words she left the room before Darrell could

reply.

Everything that could be done to make the rooms look cheerful and

homelike as possible had been done for that night. The dining-room was

decorated with flowers, and when, after dinner, the family adjourned to

the sitting-room, a fire was burning in the grate, and around it had

been drawn the most comfortable seats in the room.

But to Darrell the extra touches of brightness and beauty seemed only to

emphasize the fact that this was the last night of anything like home

life that he would know for some time to come.

It had been agreed that he and Kate were to have some music that

evening, and on the piano he saw the violin which he had not used since

the summer's happy days. He lifted it with the tender, caressing manner

with which he always handled it, as though it were something living and

human. Turning it lovingly in his hands, he caught the gleam of

something in the fire-light, and, bending over it, saw a richly engraved

gold plate, on which he read the words: TO JOHN DARRELL

A SOUVENIR OF "THE PINES"

FROM "KATHIE"




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