always in evidence. He was dressed becomingly to-day, in a brown
army shirt open at the throat, and shabby golf trousers that met
his thick woollen stockings at the knee. Anne's heart gave a throb
of approval as she studied him; Alix flushed furiously, scowled a
certain boyish approval; Cherry had not come down.

"Can you help us?" The doctor echoed his question doubtfully. "I
don't know that it can be done!" he admitted.

"This shameless old man has just confessed that he gouged the
heart out of the poor tree a week ago," Alix said, getting to her
feet. "That's the first use he put his birthday knife to! And Anne
stood here and abetted him, as far as I can find out!"

"How you garble things, Alix!" Anne said, giving her hand to
Martin. "I came out here to find my uncle busily pruning and
chopping the dead underwood away, but I had no more to do with it
than you had!"

"What's that you're eating--an apricot?" Martin said to Anne, in
his laughing way. "I was going to say that if it was a peach, you
are a cannibal!"

"Oh, help!" Alix ejaculated, with a look of elaborate scorn.

"No, but where were you last night?" Martin added in a lower tone
when he and Anne could speak unnoticed. The happy colour flooded
her face.

"I have to take care of my family SOMETIMES!" she reminded him