CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



^NE beautiful evening in the 

 early part of April, Rose and 

 Hal Merton were standing to- 

 gether under the big Elm-tree 

 which shaded the lawn in front 

 of their father's house. They 

 were looking down the long 

 hill, up which wound a narrow 

 country road, that passed under 



the wide-spreading branches of the Elm, and then twisted 



off round the foot of the mountain. 



" Rose," said Hal, " I wonder what kind of a fellow 



Cousin Tom is. I more than half wish father had not 



invited him to spend the Summer with us." 



Rose smiled, and pointed down the road. " You will 



