fear your tastes are too commonplace for you to thoroughly relish these
French sweeties, and I'm glad of it! Now, don't eat too much to-night,
for a very little of Vanity Fair goes a great way, you'll find. And now,
good-night."

"Good-night, sir. I suppose some is for Morton?"

"I left that to your magnanimity."

"My who?" bewilderedly. "Do you mean Sara? Well, then, I may as well
give him half this minute, 'cause she'll certainly make me," and the two
finally disappeared, Molly laboriously counting over the recovered
bonbons, to be sure the division was exact.

He turned back to Sara.

"It is too much care for you," he said warmly. "Think of that boy, who
will soon be beginning to assert himself, and Molly, who is enough to
keep a whole family on the alert, to say nothing of the baby. How are
you going to manage?"

His reference to Morton reminded her of their difference, which for a
time she had forgotten, and she told him about it, adding,--

"What can I do?"

"Stand firm," he said at once. "But wait; I see how hard that will be,
with the whole town against you. Let me think."

She waited, watching him, while he gazed into the fire.