182 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



and withal very much of a home girl. Every one 

 makes much of Jane, and she is not spoiled, but 

 rather improved by it. She was in her second 

 year at Farmington, and, like all Farmington 

 students, she cared more for girls than for boys. 

 These were the children whom I was to trans- 

 port from the city, where they were born, to the 

 quiet life at Four Oaks. After carefully taking 

 their measures, I felt little hesitation about mak- 

 ing the change. They, of course, had known of 

 the plan, and had often been to the farm ; but 

 they were still to find out what it really meant 

 to live there. A saddle horse and dogs galore 

 would square me with Jane, beyond question ; 

 but what about Jack ? Time must decide that. 

 His plan of life was not yet formed, and we 

 could afford to wait. We did not have much 

 time in which to weigh these matters, for the 

 Christmas holidays were near, and the young- 

 sters would soon be home. We planned to be 

 settled in the new house when they arrived. 



