Mary's lips had begun to curl with a smile as soon as she had asked

that question about Fred's future (young souls are mobile), and before

she ended, her face had its full illumination of fun. To him it was

like the cessation of an ache that Mary could laugh at him, and with a

passive sort of smile he tried to reach her hand; but she slipped away

quickly towards the door and said, "I shall tell uncle. You _must_ see

him for a moment or two."

Fred secretly felt that his future was guaranteed against the

fulfilment of Mary's sarcastic prophecies, apart from that "anything"

which he was ready to do if she would define it. He never dared in

Mary's presence to approach the subject of his expectations from Mr.

Featherstone, and she always ignored them, as if everything depended on

himself. But if ever he actually came into the property, she must

recognize the change in his position. All this passed through his mind

somewhat languidly, before he went up to see his uncle. He stayed but

a little while, excusing himself on the ground that he had a cold; and

Mary did not reappear before he left the house. But as he rode home,

he began to be more conscious of being ill, than of being melancholy.

When Caleb Garth arrived at Stone Court soon after dusk, Mary was not

surprised, although he seldom had leisure for paying her a visit, and

was not at all fond of having to talk with Mr. Featherstone. The old

man, on the other hand, felt himself ill at ease with a brother-in-law

whom he could not annoy, who did not mind about being considered poor,

had nothing to ask of him, and understood all kinds of farming and

mining business better than he did. But Mary had felt sure that her

parents would want to see her, and if her father had not come, she

would have obtained leave to go home for an hour or two the next day.

After discussing prices during tea with Mr. Featherstone Caleb rose to

bid him good-by, and said, "I want to speak to you, Mary."

She took a candle into another large parlor, where there was no fire,

and setting down the feeble light on the dark mahogany table, turned

round to her father, and putting her arms round his neck kissed him

with childish kisses which he delighted in,--the expression of his

large brows softening as the expression of a great beautiful dog

softens when it is caressed. Mary was his favorite child, and whatever

Susan might say, and right as she was on all other subjects, Caleb

thought it natural that Fred or any one else should think Mary more

lovable than other girls.




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