The Doctor

m the glare and dust of the highroad into the lane, it seemed as if Nature had been waiting to find in her the touch that makes perf

he thistle heads that nodded at her through the snake fence. It had taken sixteen years of pure-hearted, joyous living to lend those eyes, azure as the sky above, their brave, clear glance; sixte

touch of pride. The pride showed most, however, in the poise of her head and the carriage of her shoulders. But when the mobil

stretched herself at full length upon her back. For some minutes she lay in the luxury of that fragrant bed looking up through the spreading thorn tree branches to the blue sky with its floating, fleecy clouds far overhead. The lazy drone of the bees in the clover beside her, the languorous summer airs swaying into gentle nodding the tim

wish I could stay for one whole day, just here in the clover with the bees and the bird

ive, denying herself even the poor luxury of indulgence of the grief that had fallen upon her young heart, she had given herself, without thought of anything heroic in her giving, to the caring for the house and the household, and the comforting as best she could of her father, suddenly bereft of her who had been to him not wife

nds again to the blue sky with its fleecy clouds. "For your sake, mother dear," she whispered. Not often had any seen those brave eyes dim with tears. Not often since that day when they had carried her mother out from the Manse and left her behind with the weeping, clinging children, and even now she hastily wiped the tears away, chiding herself the while

tiful world after all. And how near the beauty is to us; just over the fence and you are in the thick of it. Oh, but this is great!" Once m

-chink, kir-r-

or Barney, perhaps, sharpening his scythe." She climbed up the con

; "I wonder he does not cut his fingers." She sat herse

stride, swinging easily now backward the curving blade and then forward in a cutting sweep, clean and swift, laying the eve

from forest, are banished those ancient arts of daily toil by which men were wont to prove their might, their skill of hand and eye, their invincible en

, his sinewy body swinging

with startled surprise, "he's almost a man!" The tint of the thistle bloom deepened in her cheek. She glanced down and made as if to spring to the ground; the

ty sweeps, cutting the sw

"You'll be cutting off Long J

do it to-day I never can.

about you, with your binding and p

Who is good enough to

enzie girls were just t

ay from their crowd,

t an idea how nice you loo

's the only

I'm not going to bite. Wher

, he's coming home to-day." He glanced at her face quickly

Won't your mo

other people, t

, partic

been away. We never slept a night apart from each other as long as I can mind till he went to college last year. He used to put his arm just round m

I hope he won't be different. Colle

the daylights out of him. But he won't be diffe

lightly. "He had better n

ired Barney. "You couldn'

him down," she replied with

y. "But nothing can change Dick. And I am awful gla

remember. And," regretfully, "a big supper

going?" inq

think I'll go. I don't think father would like me to go

ake care of the children for once. You

s fine to see them racing. T

ick is coming that way, too. Alec Murray is to bring him on his way home from town."

We'll see. At any r

ving dinner early to-day." He hung up the scythe

promise to come,"

The blue eyes tu

" The frank, boyish honesty of his tone seemed to disappoint

n, "I don't think I can go, but I'll see. Yo

nd, and I guess he'll be there.

ng yourself. You're g

andy! He's a bird! You ought to see hi

ried impatiently, "ever

. I guess you're right. Everything is pretty much Dick with

stood looking silently upon th

over the valley. Then he continued, "I tell you what, with the moon just over the pond there makin

aid softly; "it

re rose and fell with musical cadence

wering the call with a quick shou

r things and hurry home." And she ran at full speed down the hill and int

I'm in an awful hurry. I'm after father'

rested lovingly up

, Margaret. Barney should

efiantly. "Indeed, he had a

y, "and, mother, tell her sh

t going?" said

father-well, he wouldn't car

with me and look quietly on. And, indeed, the change will be doing you

Mrs. Boyle. I har

me away, then, int

whitewashed log milkhouse, built over a little brook

said Margaret, stepping

rs. Boyle. "And that is what you m

m the gravelly bed and filled

e. And now for that r

ecipe at all. It is just this way-" And sh

bit like yours, I'm sure,"

ay home now and get your dinner past,

churned th' day." She rolled a pat of butter in a clean linen clo

she kissed the dark cheek.

ld I could be kinder. It's a goo

e girl, as she quickly turned away a

with loving eyes; "it's a heavy care she has, and the ministe