"I trust it will not have that effect," he said, "I hesitated a little about telling you to-night, lest it might interfere with your rest; but you seemed so unhappy about your future prospects, that I felt I must relieve you of the fear of being sent away among strangers."
"You are so very good and kind to me, papa," she returned gratefully.
"Where is our dear home to be?"
"I don't know, yet," he said. "I have not had time to look about in search of house or land; but I hope to be able to buy or build a house somewhere in this region, as near Ion as a pleasant location can be found."
"I hope you'll find a house ready built, papa," she said. "I shouldn't know how to wait for one to be built."
"Not if, by waiting, we should, in the end, have a much nicer, pleasanter one?"
She considered a moment. "Couldn't we rent a house to live in while we get our own built?"
"I think that plan might answer quite well," he said with a smile. "I had no idea you were such a business woman. Probably that is what we will do, for I am as anxious to get to housekeeping as even you can be."
"But, papa," she exclaimed, with a look as if struck by a sudden and not very pleasant thought, "may I—will you be vexed if I ask you something?"
"Suppose you find out by asking?"
"I—I hope you won't think it's impertinence, papa, I don't mean it for that," she said with hesitation, hanging her head, and blushing; "but—but—I hope it isn't mamma Vi's money we're to live on?"