"Thank you, Nickols. Since his accident, Bill Hanks has thinned out to

just about your size. Now he can go back to his job neatly and

respectably clad," Mother Spurlock was saying.

"The citizens of Goodloets had better take the habit of wearing a double

suit of clothing for fear of having Elsie Spurlock strip them in public

to beyond the law," father grumbled in great pleasure, after he had

packed her and her bundles in Hampton's car. Father always calls Mother

Spurlock "Elsie," and once or twice I have seen a faint blush creep to

her cheeks and a glint flash from her eyes, but he blandly goes on

doing it. I wonder-"Father," I said, as we went slowly up the front walk together, "Nickols

will be here on Friday; will you have Dabney get his rooms in the north

wing ready for him? He likes that light, and he can use the long green

room for a studio when he sketches."

"That's good," answered father heartily. He likes Nickols and Nickols

manages him beautifully, by giving him all he wants to drink whenever he

suggests it, even introducing him to new Manhattan beverages. There is

perpetual war between Dabney, who knows father's nervous limit, and

Nickols, who doesn't care just as long as things and human beings that

surround him are kept pleasant. It is all right for the rest of the

world to have delirium tremens, just so they do it out of his sight and

hearing.

"I wonder just what Nickols will think of Goodloe," father added, with a

slightly strained laugh. "You thought he would be enraged at Goodloe and

me for building the chapel and weeding the garden. Perhaps he will be

unhappy."

"I don't believe your weeding would make anybody unhappy, father," I

answered with a laugh, choosing to ignore the issue of the building of

the chapel until Nickols was upon the scene and we could decide just

what to do.

"Been over the whole garden twice and eaten several meals in the sweat

of my brow--that is, I took a cold shower before coming to the table, my

daughter," father said, and he looked ashamed of himself for being proud

of his own spurt of normality. I caught my breath, but I was wise enough

not to show my astonishment. "Goodloe is the most insinuating person I

ever met, and I advise you to be careful. He makes men do just as he

wants them to, and I should say that women would eat out of his hand."

"I suppose I ought to eat a bite or two from his fingers to pay for all

the work he has got out of you and Dabney. I never saw the garden so

beautiful or so early. Look, father, the peonies are budding, two weeks

ahead of their usual time!"




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