Anna Belle’s silence gave assent, and her sweet expression was always a solace to Jewel, who kissed the hard roses in her cheeks repeatedly before she sat her in the big chair by the window and went down to lunch.  Anna Belle’s forced abstemiousness had ceased to afflict her.  At the lunch table she gave a vivacious account of the morning’s diversions, and for once Mrs. Evringham listened to what she said, a curious expression on her face.  This lady had expected to endure annoyance with this child on her grandfather’s account; but for unkind fate to cause Jewel to be a hindrance and a marplot in the case of Dr. Ballard was adding insult to injury.

The child, suddenly catching the expression of Mrs. Evringham’s eyes as they rested upon her, was startled, and ceased talking.

“Aunt Madge does love me,” she declared mentally.  “God’s children love one another every minute, every minute.”

“So Mr. Reeves told you where you can go to church,” said Eloise, replying to Jewel’s last bit of information.

“Yes, and”—­the little girl was going on eagerly to suggest that her cousin accompany her, when suddenly Dr. Ballard’s eyes seemed looking at her and repeating their protest.

She stopped, and ate for a time in silence.  Mrs. Forbes paid little attention to what was being said.  She moved about perfunctorily, with an air of preoccupation.  She had a more serious trouble now than the care and intrusion of the belongings of Lawrence and Harry Evringham, a worry that for days and nights had not ceased to gnaw at her heart, first as a suspicion and afterward as a certainty.

When luncheon was over, Eloise in leaving the dining-room, put her arm around Jewel’s shoulders, and together they strolled through the hall and out upon the piazza.

Mrs. Evringham looked after them.  “If only that child weren’t a little fanatic and Eloise in such an erratic, wayward state, ready to seize upon anything novel, it would be all very well,” she mused, “for Dr. Ballard seems to find Jewel amusing, and it might be a point of common interest.  As it is, if ever I wished any one in Jericho, it’s that child.”

Jewel, happy in the proximity of her lovely cousin, satisfied herself by a glance that aunt Madge was not following.

Eloise looked about over the sunny, verdant landscape.  “What a deceitful world,” she said.  “It looks so serene and easy to live in.  So it was very lovely over at your ravine this morning?”

“Oh!” Jewel looked up at her with eager eyes.  “Let’s go.  You haven’t been there.  It’s only a little way.  You don’t need your hat, cousin Eloise.”

Summer was in the air.  The girl was amused at the child’s enthusiastic tone.  “Very well,” she answered.

Jewel drew her on with an embracing arm, and they descended the steps and walked down the path.

Suddenly the child stopped.  “Doesn’t it seem unkind to go without Anna Belle!” she exclaimed.