hand; and so long as she stayed, Clover had small leisure to be mournful.
Rose was so bright and merry and affectionate that Elsie and John were
almost as much in love with her as Clover herself, and sat and sunned
themselves in her warmth, so to speak, all day long, while Phil and Dorry
fairly quarrelled as to which should have the pleasure of doing little
services for her and Baby Rose.

If she could have remained the summer through, all would have seemed easy;
but that of course was impossible. Mr. Browne appeared with a provoking
punctuality on the morning of the fourth day, prepared to carry his family
away with him. He spent one night at Dr. Carr's, and they all liked him
very much. No one could help it, he was so cordial and friendly and
pleasant. Still, for all her liking, Clover could have found it in her
heart to quite detest him as the final moment drew near.

"Let him go home without you," she urged coaxingly. "Stay with us all
summer,--you and little Rose! He can come back in September to fetch you,
and it would be so delightful to us."

"My dear, I couldn't live without Deniston till September," said the
disappointing Rose. "It may not show itself to a casual observer, but I am
really quite foolish about Deniston. I shouldn't be happy away from him at
all. He's the only husband I've got,--a 'poor thing, but mine own,' as
the 'immortal William' puts it."

"Oh, dear," groaned Clover. "That is the way that Katy is going to talk
about Ned, I suppose. Matrimony is the most aggravating condition of
things for outsiders that was ever invented. I wish nobody _had_ invented
it. Here it would be so nice for us to have you stay, and the moment that
provoking husband of yours appears, you can't think of any one else."