"Not at present. I assure you it's not a bad one, taking everything into consideration. She has had bad times with me, but we're really fond of each other, and she says she is happy and content."
"And what about young Austin? Is he married yet? I haven't seen the young lady, have I?"
"No; she arrived in this part after you left. Well, of course, people shook their heads at first; but, really, it seems turning out remarkably well. They were married last May, and Jockie is perfectly happy living under the wings of her mother-in-law. She has a most astonishing capacity of adapting herself to her surroundings, and from a rather noisy hoyden, she is shaking down into a very fascinating and sweet little daughter of the house. Old Mr. de Cressiers is pretty much the same. He is devoted to Jockie; and Austin has settled down in great content."
Chuckles had kept silent as long as he could. Now he burst forth:
"And I go to school, Cousin Ran, and I'm in the eleven, and I gets more runs than any other chap."
"Wonderful!" said Randolph absently; then he turned to Monica. "She's looking so frail. Has she been ill?"
There was no need to ask who "she" was.
"I think I have worn her out a good deal," said Monica gravely. "But, of course, she's been through a lot since you saw her last. And though her spirit is not broken, nor her bright hopefulness taken from her, yet the loss of her father and home has told upon her physically."
Randolph was silent for a moment or two. Then he rose from his seat, and stood looking down upon his cousin with pity in his eyes. Chuckles dashed away into the house. He could never be still for very long.
"You won't let me say how sorry I am for what has befallen you," he said.