"When are you going to Mrs. Evelyn?" he said, breaking the
silence.

"They say next week, Sir."

"I shall be glad of it!" said the doctor.

"Glad of it?" said Fleda, smiling. "Do you want to get rid of
me, uncle Orrin?"

"Yes!" said he. "This isn't the right place for you. You are
too much alone."

"No, indeed, Sir. I have been reading voraciously, and
enjoying myself as much as possible. I would quite as lieve be
here as there, putting you out of the question."

"I wouldn't as lieve have you," said he, shaking his head.

"What were you musing about before tea? your face gave me the
heartache."

"My face!" said Fleda, smiling, while an instant flush of the
eyes answered him; "what was the matter with my face?"

"That is the very thing I want to know."

"Before tea? — I was only thinking," said Fleda, her look
going back to the fire from association — "thinking of