46 THE GARDEN OF A 



" Mother was her own gardener, and I want to 

 follow her as closely as I may and yet be quite 

 myself," I said gently. 



"Then all will be well, indeed," said father, a 

 load seeming to slip from his shoulders, " for after 

 all I believe that I must have let Chris go," he 

 continued, a suspicious twinkle in his eyes, "for he 

 told me yesterday that you do not appreciate him, 

 and that sympathy is more to him than wages. 

 He announced that he can ' go to the big house 

 on the bluff where folks never interfere with the 

 gardener.' Though, come to think of it, his 

 remarks were hardly consistent, for ' letting alone ' 

 is not sympathy, and I believe he mentioned that 

 they offered wages which were really fabulous. 



" Still, I am afraid you'll be disappointed. You 

 are so eager to block out your garden and plant all 

 those bulbs before frost, and Evan is too busy in 

 getting settled at his work to do more than give you 

 advice. I fear you are undertaking too much, and 

 you will have no time left for enjoyment." 



"Not a bit, and nothing could suit me better. 

 Now, you dear old father, please pay me every 

 month the wages that you paid Chris and you 

 shall see well, either something or nothing. You 

 may not notice the difference at first, but you will 



