"I've been reading the paper," answered Faith, quietly, "and talking a little."
"Mother!" said Mr. Gartney, catching his wife's hand, as she came round to find a seat near him, "are you really in the plot, too?"
"I'm glad there is a plot," said the doctor, quickly, glancing round with a keen inquiry. "It's time!"
"Wait till you hear it," said Mr. Gartney. "Are you in a hurry to lose your patient?"
"Depends upon _how_!" replied the doctor, touching the truth in a jest.
"This is how. Here's a little jade who has the conceit and audacity to propose to me to wind up my business (as if she understood the whole process!), and let my house, and go to my farm at Cross Corners. What do you think of that?"
"I think it would be the most sensible thing you ever did in your life!"
"Just exactly what Aunt Henderson said!" cried Faith, exultant.
"Aunt Faith, too! The conspiracy thickens! How long has all this been discussing?" continued Mr. Gartney, fairly roused, and springing, despite the doctor's request, to a sitting position, throwing off, as he did so, the afghan Faith had laid over his feet.
"There hasn't been much discussion," said Faith. "Only when I went out to Kinnicutt I got auntie to show me the house; and I asked her how she thought it would be if we were to do such a thing, and she said just what Dr. Gracie has said now. And, father, you _don't_ know how beautiful it is there!"
"So you really want to go? and it isn't drumsticks?" queried the doctor, turning round to Faith.
"Some drumsticks are very nice," said Faith.
"Gartney!" said Dr. Gracie, "you'd better mind what this girl of yours says. She's worth attending to."
The wedge had been entered, and Faith's hand had driven it.
The plan was taken into consideration. Of course, such a change could not be made without some pondering; but when almost the continual thought of a family is concentrated upon a single subject, a good deal of pondering and deciding can be done in three weeks. At the end of that time an advertisement appeared in the leading Mishaumok papers, offering the house in Hickory Street to be let; and Mrs. Gartney and Faith were busy packing boxes to go to Kinnicutt.
Only a passing shade had been flung on the project which seemed to brighten into sunshine, otherwise, the more they looked at it, when Mrs. Gartney suddenly said, after a long "talking over," the second evening after the proposal had been first broached: