’Free as a child, Mr. Rollo!  Always tells me what dress she’ll wear—­and then afterwards how people liked it.  And what she does, and what they want her to do.  And why her head is not turned,’ said Mrs. Bywank, in conclusion, ’puzzles my head, I’m sure.  Mere handling so many hearts might do it.’

Mr. Rollo pursued his breakfast rather thoughtfully and nonchalantly for a time.

‘Mrs. Bywank, Mrs. Coles is returned.’

‘Surely!’ said Mrs. Bywank, with a slight start.  ’Then she’ll make mischief,—­or it’ll be the first chance she ever missed.’

’And—­the world around her is not so simple as your young lady believes.’

‘No, no!’ said Mrs. Bywank, earnestly.  ’Well I know that!  But just there comes in another trouble I spoke of,—­you can’t make her believe it, sir,—­and so I’m not sure it’s always wise to try.’  She paused, in a sort of hesitating way; glancing from her teaspoon to her guest.

‘It’s not wise to try at all,’ said he, smiling—­a sort of warm genial smile, which went over the table to his old friend.  ’At the same time,’—­and his face grew sternly grave,—­’it may be desirable to have some other wisdom come in to her help.  I wish,—­if you are in any doubt or perplexity about anything you hear, and it may be only a little thing that may give you the impression,—­I wish you would call me in.’

‘Well sir,—­that just touches my thought,’ said Mrs. Bywank.  ’Or my thought that.  For I couldn’t do it, Mr. Rollo, unless,’—­and an unmistakeable look of anxious inquiry came across the table.  ‘Unless, you know, sir,’ she went on, looking away again,—­’unless—­excuse my freedom—­the conditions of the will are to be carried out.’  And the old housekeeper called for hot waffles, and otherwise apologized for touching the subject, by quitting it at once.  As soon as all this bustle was disposed of, her guest met her eye again with a frank, bright smile.

‘The conditions of the will are to be carried out, my friend.’

Mrs. Bywank brought her hands together with a sense of relief and gladness that somehow went to her eyes too, and she was silent a little.

’I did hope it, sir!—­And I would far rather apply to you than to Mr. Falkirk. He frets me sometimes,’ added the old housekeeper:  ’I may say that to you, sir.  Now, she’s been wild to ride all summer,—­and a dozen wild to have her; and Mr. Falkirk has never let her go once.  And so long as he does let her go and dance with the same people, I don’t for my part see why.’

‘Perhaps he does,’ said Rollo, rather dryly.  ’But I have made the requisite declarations in presence of Mr. Falkirk and Dr. Maryland, and am legally qualified to act, Mrs. Bywank. She does not know anything of this; and it is not best she should—­ for the present.’