Renny's Daughter. Mazo de la Roche

on a plate, please, Mrs. Wragge. Just in my hand.”

      She returned to her perch eating the gingerbread. The April sun which had not before shown itself that day now burst out strong and made a brilliant halo about the girl’s head. The five seated about the table stared at her in pleasure as they might without embarrassment stare at a young doe in its early grace and beauty. Their hands lay on the table relaxed or held the handles of their cups. Beneath the table their feet were disposed in characteristic attitudes. Mrs. Wragge’s in red woollen slippers toed inward, the calves bulging sharply from the ankles; her husband’s, neat in black shoes, were planted side by side; Noah Binns’ ankles were interlocked and his shabby overshoes seemed to have absorbed moisture rather than cast it off; Wright’s legs were outstretched and ended in leather leggings and thick-soled, well-oiled shoes; while Raikes’ top-boots were drawn back on either side of his chair, thus disposing of his long legs. So characteristic were those nether parts that an observer seeing them separate from the upper parts could have linked them without difficulty.

      “You’d never guess what she’s goin’ over for,” Mrs. Wragge said to the men.

      They shook their heads smiling at Adeline.

      “Why, she’s goin’ over to choose herself a husband. She’s goin’ to look them over in Great Britain and Ireland and pick out a prize one.”

      “You don’t need to go that far, do you, miss?” said Wright. “There’s good men at home here, eh?”

      “She’s after a title,” said Mrs. Wragge. “She aims to be ‘my lady’ — like her great-aunt.”

      Noah Binns spoke truculently. “No man living has a right to a title, except the King. George — King of Canada and Great Britain.”

      “What about Ireland?” asked Raikes.

      “Ireland!” Noah gave a snort. “Ireland’s a foreign country now and will perish as such.”

      “When did you start talking biblical?” asked Wright.

      “I’ll bet you a dollar to a doughnut,” declared Noah, “that I’m the only one present who could say a piece from the Bible by heart.”

      “I’ll take you on,” said Adeline. “At school we had to memorize from the Bible as a punishment. I was always in trouble so I know masses by heart.”

      “I was not including the ladies,” returned Noah.

      Mrs. Wragge interrupted, — “You’re getting away from the subject.”

      “Well, miss,” said Raikes, “I hope you’ll find a nice young Irish gentleman to your liking.”

      Noah Binns said, — “There’s men in this country, better than any duke.”

      “What Miss Adeline’d like,” put in Wright, “is a gentleman with a stable full of show horses or a string of racehorses.”

      Rags gave his insinuating smile. “She’s got him picked out,” he said. “I’ve heard his name — not many times, but once.”