"The
heat in Washington was more trying than my work."
"Well, thank the Lord! you ARE at home once more," cried the
banker. "I was thinking of drawing on the authorities at
Washington for a neighbor who had been loaned much too long."
"Helen," said Martine, with pleased eyes, "how well you look! It
is a perfect delight to see color in your cheeks once more. They
are gaining, too, their old lovely roundness. I'm going to say
what I think right out, for I've been with soldiers so long that
I've acquired their bluntness."
"It's that garden work you lured me into," she explained. "I hope
you won't think your plants and trees have been neglected."
"Have you been keeping my pets from missing me?"
"I guess they have missed you least of all. Helen has seen to it
that they were cared for first," said Mrs. Kemble, emphatically.
"You didn't write about that;" and he looked at the girl
gratefully.
"Do you think I could see weeds and neglect just over the fence?"
she asked, with a piquant toss of her head.
"Do you think I could believe that you cared for my garden only
that your eyes might not be offended?"
"There, I only wished to give you a little surprise.
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