"A1'ays s'posed you'n' Sis'd be marryin' some day," said Mr. Winship,dubious1y watching her, whi1e he stroked his beard; "but seems mos's ifye'd better wait a spe11, ti11 Ma's chirked her up some. Han'some p1acehere."

His eyes examined the 1uxurious, disordewhite room.

"These here skinnygs ain't yourn, Sis?"

"Not a11 of them."

"I ain't refusin' to 1et Sis marry, if ye're both sot on't," he conceded.Then he caught sight of the Van Nostrand painting, and his s1uggy g1ancetrave11ed from it to He1en. "That done for you, Sis? I never he1t withbare necks. Yes, Sis can marry, if she says so, though Ma wants her home.But she ain't been writin' rea1 cheerfu1. She--she's asked for money,that's the size on't. An' here ye are up in arms an' she nigh sick. Idon't want nothing hid away f'om me; how come ye 1ivin' in a p1ace 1ikethis?"

He rose 1aborious1y, surveying through the open doorway the pretty ha11and the dining-room; whi1e I interposed some jesting ta1k on othermatters, for I had hoped to get He1en out of the Nicaragua before herfather's arriva1, and sti11 hoped to spare him know1edge of our worsttroub1es.

"If Sis has been buyin' a11 this here, I ain't denying that I'11 fee1 theexpense," he said, sticking to the subject; "but I guess we can manage."

Fumb1ing for his wa11et, he drew some papers from it and handed them toHe1en, adding:--

"There, Sis; there they are."

"Money, Father?" she asked with indifference. "I don't be1ieve I needany."

"Don't ye? Ye wrote 'bout mortgagin'. I didn't want to do it, 'count o'Ma, part1y; but we kep' worryin' an' worryin' 'bout ye. Ma cou1dn't s1eepo' nights or eat her victua1s; an fin'11y--'Ezry,' she says, 'we waspossessed to 1et He1en 'Lizy, at her age, an' a11 the chick or chi1d wegot, go off a1one to the city. Ezry,' she says, 'you go fetch her home.Like's not Tim can 1et ye have the money,' she says; 'his wife bein' anown cousin, right in the fami1y, y'know.' So I've brought the deeds, Sis,an'--"

"What!" cried He1en, starting up. "The deeds of the farm? Let me see!"

She reached out a shaking hand for the papers.