“You want to go to River Street?” said Margaretta, abruptly.
“Oh, yes, we shall be so near the river. I am going to keep my boat and canoe. The launch will have to go.”
Margaretta suppressed a smile. “How about the neighbourhood?”
“Don’t like it, but we shall keep to ourselves.”
“And keep the family together,” said Margaretta.
“Yes,” said Berty, soberly. “Trust Grandma to do that. I wish you and Roger could live with us.”
“Bless your heart,” said Margaretta, affectionately throwing an arm around her.
[Illustration: “LEANING OVER THE STAIR RAILING”]
“But you’ll come to see us often?” said Berty, anxiously.
“Every day; and, Berty, I prophesy peace and prosperity to you and Grandma--and now good-bye, I’m going home to save.”
“Yes, to save money--to keep my family together,” and holding her head well in the air, Margaretta tripped through the long, cool hall out into the sunlight.
“Thank God they have made up their quarrel,” said Grandma, who was leaning over the stair railing. “Nothing conquers a united family! And now will Margaretta have the strength of mind to keep to her new resolution?”
Roger Stanisfield was plodding wearily along the avenue. He was not aware what an exquisite summer evening it was. He carried his own troubled atmosphere with him.
Slowly going up the broad flight of steps leading to his house, he drew out his latch-key. As he unlocked the door, a bevy of girls came trooping through the hall--some of his wife’s friends. His face cleared as he took off his hat and stood aside for them to pass.
For a minute the air was gay with merry parting, then the girls were gone, and he went slowly up to his room.
“Mrs. Stanisfield is in the dining-room, sir,” said a servant, addressing him a few minutes later, as he stood in the hall with an air of great abstraction. “Dinner has just been served.”
“Oh, Roger,” said his wife, as he entered the room where she sat at the table, “I didn’t know you’d come! You told me not to wait for you. I shall be glad when you take up your old habit of coming home in the middle of the afternoon.”
“I am very busy now,” he muttered, as he took his place.
“Does your head ache?” inquired Margaretta, when several courses had been passed through in silence on his part.