"And, mother, you knew it, too?"
"A woman sees where a man is blind, sometimes," she answered. "And boys must find these things out for themselves. Poor boy, I wanted somebody to whisper it to you."
"Somebody has done so, mother, and I am now so glad that it was left for that one to tell me."
The boys came in, and were a little overwhelmed, even George, with the warmth of their brother's reception. Julia went straight to George, saying, "Now, sir, you belong to me; you are to be my dear youngest brother! What a row of handsome brothers I shall have—there!—there!"—with a kiss for each word.
George at first did not quite comprehend: "Julia, are you going to be
Bart's wife?"
"Yes," with a richer color.
"When?"
"Hush! That isn't a question for you to ask." And she bent over him with another low sweet "hush," that he understood.
Soon the Colonel and his sweet young wife came in, and they all came to know that Julia was one of them; and she knew what warm, true hearts had come so suddenly about her with their strong, steady tenderness.
Then, as the sun fell among the western tree tops, Julia said to Mrs. Ridgeley, "Now Arthur must drive me home; his other mother has not seen him; and to-morrow I will bring him to you. He is to remain with us, and we will come and go between our two homes for, I don't know how long; until he grows stout and strong, and has run through all the woods, and visited all the dear old places, and grows weary of us, and sighs for Blackstone, and all those horrid books."