20 THE GARDEN OF A 



Mine was in father's odd stenographic characters. 

 Instinctively we drew apart to the ends of the bench 

 to read. 



Five minutes passed ; I looked at Evan. He was 

 gazing at the sundial and gnawing his mustache, 

 then he looked at me, squared his shoulders, and 

 said, " McVicker writes me to come back, that 

 there is a splendid opening for the work that I like 

 best." Then he waited for me to answer, but in a 

 flash I could see the wish to be and do was in his 

 eyes, that he had no desire to sit still and crumble 

 like a respectable ruin. 



" My letter is from father," I said, as soon as I 

 could steady my voice. " He begs us to come home" 

 (he who had come in my illness to draw me back 

 to life, left again, and never written or spoken a 

 lonely word before). "Aunt Lot is to marry the 

 Methodist minister next month and devote herself 

 to his eight children ! ' Come back,' he says; 'I am 

 hungry for you. This home is yours from now on, 

 in deed and truth, all the place I need being for 

 myself and books.' " 



Instantly we were side by side again in the middle 

 of the bench, our hands joined, and both laughing. 



"Poor Aunt Lot!" said Evan. "What a fate! 

 But she will be no longer bothered by books, 



