"I am afraid that we shall never bring you to a proper state of penitence;" and he laughed.
"You were so good to her!" said Granny again, as if she had nothing but gratitude in her soul.
"It was a great pleasure to me. But I never dreamed that I had made the acquaintance of one of your family before."
"He will never like me so well again," thought Florence; "but that is part of my punishment. I have been full of pride and cowardice."
Mr. Darol made himself at home in a very few moments, for he was interested beyond measure.
"It is a poor place," ruminated Charlie, glancing round; "but we cannot help it, I'm sure. All of us have done our best."
Then she dismissed the subject with her usual happy faculty, and became wonderfully entertaining; so much so, indeed, that, when Mr. Darol glanced at his watch, he said,—
"In about half an hour my train goes down to the city. I have not said half that I wanted to. I have not seen your brother Joe, nor the hot-house; and what am I to do?"
"Stay," replied Charlie; and then she colored vividly. "Our house is so small that it will not hold any more; but Dr. Meade has already taken in Kit and Joe, and he is just splendid!"
Mr. Darol laughed.