when the winter evenings seemed short and bright because as they
sat spinning by the blazing log fire they were cheerful in their
occupation, singing songs and telling stories and having so much
to do that there was no time to indulge in the morbid analysis of
life and the things of life which in our present shiftless day
perplex and confuse idle and unhealthy brains.

And now after more than three centuries, the direct male line of
Amadis de Jocelin had culminated in Hugo, commonly called Farmer
Jocelyn, who, on account of some secret love disappointment, the
details of which he had never told to anyone, had remained
unmarried. Till the appearance on the scene of the child,
Innocent, who was by the village folk accepted and believed to be
the illegitimate offspring of this ill-starred love, it was
tacitly understood that Robin Clifford, his nephew, and the only
son of his twin sister, would be the heir to Briar Farm; but when
it was seen how much the old man seemed to cling to Innocent, and
to rely upon her ever tender care of him, the question arose as to
whether there might not be an heiress after all, instead of an
heir. And the rustic wiseacres gossiped, as is their wont,
watching with no small degree of interest the turn of events which
had lately taken place in the frank and open admiration and
affection displayed by Robin for his illegitimate cousin, as it
was thought she was, and as Farmer Jocelyn had tacitly allowed it
to be understood. If the two young people married, everybody
agreed it would be the right thing, and the best possible outlook
for the continued prosperity of Briar Farm. For after all, it was
the farm that had to be chiefly considered, so they opined,--the
farm was an historic and valuable property as well as an excellent
paying concern. The great point to be attained was that it should