Then seeing herself thus deserted by her companions, Shoofly began a low, musical hum of a wail and walled large eyes up at Everett, at whose feet she was seated.  In instant sympathetic response he applied the toe of his shoe to the small of the whimpering tot’s back and proceeded awkwardly, though with the best intentions in the world, to follow the General’s directions as to pacification.  Rose Mary laughed as she took a tin-cup from a nail in the wall, and filling it with milk from one of the crocks, she knelt at the side of the deserted one and held the brim to the red lips of Shoofly’s generous mouth.  With a series of gurgles and laps the consoling draft was quickly consumed and the whimperer left by this double ministration in a state of placid contentment.

Peter the wise had stood viewing these attentions to the other baby with stolid imperturbability, but as Rose Mary turned away to her table he licked out his pink tongue and bobbed his head toward the milk crocks, while his solemn eyes conveyed his desire without words.  Peter’s vocabulary was both new and limited, and he was at all times extremely careful against any wastefulness of it.  His lips quivered as if in uncertainty as to whether he was to be left out of this lactic deal, and his eyes grew reproachful.

“Why, man alive, did you think I had forgotten you!” exclaimed Rose Mary as she turned with the cup to one of the crocks standing in the water, at the sight of which motion relief dawned in the serious eyes of the young petitioner.  Filling the cup swiftly, she lifted the youngster in her arms and came over to sit in the door beside Shoofly at Everett’s feet.  With dignified deliberation Peter began to consume his draft in slow gulps, and after each one he lifted his eyes to Rose Mary’s face as if rendering courteous appreciation for the consumed portion.  His chubby fingers were clasped around her wrist as she held the cup for him, and her other hand cuddled one of his bare, briar-scratched knees.  The picture had its instituted effect on Everett, and he bent toward the little group in the doorway and rested his elbows on his knees as his world-restless eyes softened and the lines around his mouth melted into a smile.

“Rose Mary,” he said with an almost abashed note in his deep voice, “we’ll dispense with the lilacs—­they’re not needed as retainers, and I don’t deserve them.”

“But being good will bring you the lilacs of life; whether you think you deserve them or not, I’m afraid it’s inevitable,” answered Rose Mary, as she smiled up at him with instant appreciation of his change of mood.

“Well, I’ll try it this once and see what happens,” answered Everett with a laugh.  “Indeed, I’m ashamed of having shown you any impatience at all—­to think of impatience in this heaven country of hospitality amounts to positive sacrilege.  Shrive me—­and then bring on your lilacs!”