“About as much as I care for,” returned the captain.

“The estate was formerly very large,” Arthur went on,—­“some thousands of acres,—­and the family was a very wealthy one; but, like many others, they lost heavily by the war, and were compelled to part with one portion of the estate after another, till little more than the homestead was left; and now it seems that it, too, must go.”

“Are they so reduced?” the captain asked in a tone of deep sympathy.

“I think Miss Elliott does not feel compelled to part with it, and would still live on there, if it were not for the loneliness of the situation, and a natural desire to be with her sister, the only remaining member of their once large family, besides herself.”

“Yes, yes:  I see.  I understand, and shall feel much more comfortable in buying it, than if I knew that poverty compelled her to part with it against her will.”

“That shows your kindness of heart,” Arthur said, turning toward his friend with an appreciative smile.

The next moment they had entered the Woodburn grounds, and Capt.  Raymond and Grace were glancing from side to side in a very interested manner.

“The place is a good deal run down,” remarked Arthur.  “They have not had the means to keep it up, I suppose; but if it comes into your hands, captain, you can soon set matters right in regard to that; and I, for one, shall greatly enjoy seeing the improvement.”

“And I making it,” was the cheery rejoinder; “more, I think, than taking possession of a place that was too perfect to be improved.”

“Papa, I’d just love to have this for our home!” cried Gracie, flushing with pleasure as she glanced here and there, and then up into his face with an eager, questioning look, “Won’t you buy it, papa?” coaxingly.

“It is still too soon for that question, my child,” he said, smiling down at her.  “But I hope to be able to answer it before very long.”

They had reached the house, and were presently ushered into the presence of its owner.  She was desirous to sell, the captain to buy,—­willing also to give not only a fair, but a liberal, price; so it took but a short time for them to come to an agreement.

He bought the land, house, furniture, every thing just as it stood; was promised possession in two weeks, and accorded the privilege of at once beginning any repairs or alterations he might deem desirable.

Before making the agreement, he had inspected the whole house.  He found it large, conveniently arranged, and in very tolerable repair.

The furniture had evidently been very handsome in its day, and would do quite well, he thought, to begin with:  much of it might, with re-upholstering and varnishing, please Violet as well as any that could be bought elsewhere.  He was eager to bring her to look at it, the house and the grounds.

These last delighted both himself and Grace, although lawn and gardens were far from being as trim and neat as those of Ion and Fairview:  there was an air of neglect about the whole place, but that could soon be remedied.