slowly on.

"Ah; if you only will," I answered, with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

We walked on in silence till we reached the gate: he opened it for me
and then said, "Now I must leave you, and go back for the oars."

I was secretly glad of this; since the walk had reached its natural
limit and its end must be accepted, it was a relief to approach the
house alone and not be the subject of any observation.

Breakfast had began: no one seemed to feel much interest in my entrance,
though flaming with red roses and red cheeks.

They were of the sex that do not notice such things naturally, with much
interest or admiration. They had hardly "shaken off drowsy-hed," and had
no pleasure in anything but their breakfast, and not much in that.

"How do you manage to get yourself up and dressed at such inhuman
hours?" said Mary Leighton, querulously.

"You are a reproach to the household, and we will not suffer it," said
Charlotte Benson.

"I never could understand this thing of getting up before you are
obliged to," added Henrietta plaintively.

But Sophie seemed well satisfied, particularly when Mr. Langenau came in
and I looked down into my cup of tea, instead of saying good-morning to
him. He did not say very much, though there was a good deal of babble