understand the atmosphere of cordial good feeling which seemed in so
short time to have grown up between his wife and all the household. He
had become so used to Sally's sweet sad face, that he did not know how
great a charm it held for others; and he had never seen in her the
manner which she now wore to every one. One day's kindly treatment had
been to her like one day's sunlight to a drooping plant.

Hetty was relieved and glad. All her misgivings had vanished; and she
found growing up in her heart a great tenderness toward Sally. She
recollected well the bright rosy face Sally had worn only a few years
before, and the contrast between it and her pale sorrow-stricken
countenance now smote Hetty whenever she looked at her. Her sympathy,
however, took no shape in words or caresses. She was too wise for that.
She simply made it plain that Sally's place in the family was to be a
fixed and a busy one.

"I shall look after the out-door things, Sally," she said. "I have done
that ever since father was so poorly, and I like it best. I shall trust
to you to keep the house going all straight. Old Nan isn't much of a
housekeeper, though she's a good cook: she needs looking after."

And so the new household entered on its first summer. The crops sprang
up, abundant and green: all the cattle throve and increased: the big
garden bloomed full of its old-fashioned flowers; its wide borders of
balm and lavender made the whole road-side sweet: the doors stood open,
and the cheery sounds of brisk farm life were to be heard all day long.
To all passers-by "Gunn's" seemed unchanged, unless it were that it had
grown even more prosperous and active. But in the hall, two knobbed old
canes which used to stand in the corner were hung by purple ribbons from
the great antlers on the wall, and would never be taken down again.