"Now that's unkind, Nell," protested Blake; "unkind though true."
The child, eyeing them for a minute in serious non-understanding, recurred with the facility of the very young to other things.
"Oh, mother dear!" she cried. "We forgot to stick up our letters to daddy."
Taking her mother's hand, she led her to the little table. Elinor, left alone with Blake, turned to him and queried:
"Heard from Jack lately?"
He shook his head.
"Not lately. Not since I've seen you."
"Not enjoying himself much, I suppose," she commented. "He always stuck to this place in summer like a barnacle. Was crazy about it."
Blake, sitting with left fist in right palm, eyes upon the velvety green of the lawn, shook his head, slowly.
"He shouldn't have left a home like this if they'd offered to make him
Queen of Sheba," was his comment.