asceasedtocareforme."
ShelookedfromColonelParsonstohiswife,whostaredatherindismay.
"Don'tbeangrywithme,"shesaid"Icouldn'ttalklikethistoanyoneelse,butIknowyouloveme.Ilookuponyoualreadyasmyfatherandmother.Idon'twanttobeunkindtomamma,butIcouldn'ttalkofittohershewouldonlysneeratme.AndI'mafraidit'smakingmeratherunhappy."
"Ofcourse,wewantyoutotreatusasyourrealparents,Mary.WebothloveyouasweloveJamie.Wehavealwayslookeduponyouasourdaughter."
"You'resogoodtome!"
"Hasyourmothersaidanythingtoannoyyou?"
Maryfaltered.
"Lastnight,whenhewentaway,shesaidshedidn'tthinkhewasdevotedtome."
"Oh,Iknewitwasyourmotherwho'dputthisinyourhead!Shehasalwaysbeenjealousofyou.Isupposeshethinkshe'sinlovewithher."
"Mrs.Parsons!"criedMary,inatoneofentreaty.
"Iknowyoucan'tbearanythingsaidagainstyourmother,andit'swickedofmetovexyoubutshehasnorighttosuggestsuchthings."
"It'snotonlythat.It'swhatIfeel."
"I'msureJamieismostfondofyou,"saidColonelParsons,kindly."You'venotseenoneanotherforfiveyears,andyoufindyourselvesaltered.EvenwefeelalittlestrangewithJamiesometimesdon'twe,Frances?Whatchildrentheyare,Frances!"ColonelParsonslaughedinthatirresistiblysweetfashionofhis."Why,itwasonlythedaybeforeyesterdaythatJamiecametouswithalongfaceandaskedifyoucaredforhim."
"Didhe?"askedMary,withpleasedsurprise,anxioustobelievewhattheColonelsuggested."Oh,hemustseethatIlovehim!Perhapshefindsmeunresponsive....HowcouldIhelpcaringforhim?Ithinkifheceasedtoloveme,Ishoulddie."
"MydearestMary,"criedMrs.Parsons,thetearsrisingtohereyes,"don'ttalklikethat!I'msurehecan'thelplovingyou,eitheryou'resogoodandsweet.You'rebothofyoufanciful,andhe'snotwell.Bepatient.Jamieisshyandreservedhehasn'tquitegotusedtousyet.Hedoesn'tknowhowtoshowhisfeelings.Itwillallcomerightsoon."
"Ofcoursehelovesyou!"saidColonelParsons."Whocouldhelpit?Why,ifIwereayoungfellowIshouldbemadtomarryyou."
"Andwhataboutme,Richmond?"askedMrs.Parsons,smiling.
"Well,IthinkIsh