younger daughter"; and the old gentleman answered: "Abide with me, for I
would rather you should have her than some other person." Now I wonder
whether the matter will be complicated with Leah--that is, Edra? Leah
was considerably older than Rachel, and, like Edra, tender-eyed. I do
not aspire or desire to marry both, especially if I should, like Jacob,
have to begin with the wrong one, however tender-eyed: but for divine
Yoletta I could serve seven years; yea, and fourteen, if it comes to it.

Thus I mused, and thus I questioned, tossing and turning on my
inhospitable hard bed, until merciful sleep laid her quieting hands on
the strings of my brain, and hushed their weary jangling.






Chapter 8

Fortunately I woke early next morning, for I was now a member of an
early-rising family, and anxious to conform to rules. On going to the
door I found, to my inexpressible disgust, that I might easily have
closed it in the way I had seen the other door closed, by simply pulling
a sliding panel. There was ventilation enough without having the place
open to prowling beasts of prey. I also found that if I had turned up
the little stray bed I should have had warm woolen sheets to sleep in.

I resolved to say nothing about my nocturnal visitor, not wishing to
begin the day by furnishing fresh instances of what might seem like
crass stupidity on my part. While occupied with these matters I began to