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your sleeping all night in the hammock？〃
〃I've been painting in the Lake District all summer； as you know；〃 answered Uncle Blair； 〃and one day I just got homesick to see my little girl。 So I sailed for Montreal without further delay。 I got here at eleven last nightthe station…master's son drove me down。 Nice boy。 The old house was in darkness and I thought it would be a shame to rouse you all out of bed after a hard day's work。 So I decided that I would spend the night in the orchard。 It was moonlight； you know； and moonlight in an old orchard is one of the few things left over from the Golden Age。〃
〃It was very foolish of you；〃 said practical Aunt Janet。 〃These September nights are real chilly。 You might have caught your death of coldor a bad dose of rheumatism。〃
〃So I might。 No doubt it was foolish of me；〃 agreed Uncle Blair gaily。 〃It must have been the fault； of the moonlight。 Moonlight； you know； Sister Janet； has an intoxicating quality。 It is a fine； airy； silver wine； such as fairies may drink at their revels； unharmed of it； but when a mere mortal sips of it； it mounts straightway to his brain； to the undoing of his daylight common sense。 However； I have got neither cold nor rheumatism； as a sensible person would have done had he ever been lured into doing such a non…sensible thing； there is a special Providence for us foolish folk。 I enjoyed my night in the orchard； for a time I was companioned by sweet old memories； and then I fell asleep listening to the murmurs of the wind in those old trees yonder。 And I had a beautiful dream； Janet。 I dreamed that the old orchard blossomed again； as it did that spring eighteen years ago。 I dreamed that its sunshine was the sunshine of spring； not autumn。 There was newness of life in my dream； Janet； and the sweetness of forgotten words。〃
〃Wasn't it strange about MY dream？〃 whispered the Story Girl to me。
〃Well； you'd better come in and have some breakfast；〃 said Aunt Janet。 〃These are my little girlsFelicity and Cecily。〃
〃I remember them as two most adorable tots；〃 said Uncle Blair；
shaking hands。 〃They haven't changed quite so much as my own baby…child。 Why； she's a woman； Janetshe's a woman。〃
〃She's child enough still；〃 said Aunt Janet hastily。
The Story Girl shook her long brown curls。
〃I'm fifteen；〃 she said。 〃And you ought to see me in my long dress； father。〃
〃We must not be separated any longer； dear heart；〃 I heard Uncle Blair say tenderly。 I hoped that he meant he would stay in Canadanot that he would take the Story Girl away。
Apart from this we had a gay day with Uncle Blair。 He evidently liked our society better than that of the grown…ups； for he was a child himself at heart； gay； irresponsible； always acting on the impulse of the moment。 We all found him a delightful companion。 There was no school that day； as Mr。 Perkins was absent； attending a meeting of the Teachers' Convention； so we spent most of its golden hours in the orchard with Uncle Blair； listening to his fascinating accounts of foreign wanderings。 He also drew all our pictures for us； and this was especially delightful； for the day of the camera was only just dawning and none of us had ever had even our photographs taken。 Sara Ray's pleasure was； as usual； quite spoiled by wondering what her mother would say of it； for Mrs。 Ray had； so it appeared； some very peculiar prejudices against the taking or making of any kind of picture whatsoever； owing to an exceedingly strict interpretation of the second commandment。 Dan suggested that she need not tell her mother anything about it； but Sara shook her head。
〃I'll have to tell her。 I've made it a rule to tell ma everything I do ever since the Judgment Day。〃
〃Besides；〃 added Cecily seriously； 〃the Family Guide says one ought to tell one's mother everything。〃
〃It's pretty hard sometimes； though；〃 sighed Sara。 〃Ma scolds so much when I do tell her things； that it sort of discourages me。 But when I think of how dreadful I felt the time of the Judgment Day over deceiving her in some things it nerves me up。 I'd do almost anything rather than feel like that the next time the Judgment Day comes。〃
〃Fe； fi； fo； fum； I smell a story；〃 said Uncle Blair。 〃What do you mean by speaking of the Judgment Day in the past tense？〃
The Story Girl told him the tale of that dreadful Sunday in the preceding summer and we all laughed with him at ourselves。
〃All the same；〃 muttered Peter； 〃I don't want to have another experience like that。 I hope I'll be dead the next time the Judgment Day comes。〃
〃But you'll be raised up for it；〃 said Felix。
〃Oh； that'll be all right。 I won't mind that。 I won't know anything about it till it really happens。 It's the expecting it that's the worst。〃
〃I don't think you ought to talk of such things；〃 said Felicity。
When evening came we all went to Golden Milestone。 We knew the Awkward Man and his bride were expected home at sunset； and we meant to scatter flowers on the path by which she must enter her new home。 It was the Story Girl's idea； but I don't think Aunt Janet would have let us go if Uncle Blair had not pleaded for us。 He asked to be taken along； too； and we agreed； if he would stand out of sight when the newly married pair came home。
〃You see； father； the Awkward Man won't mind us； because we're only children and he knows us well；〃 explained the Story Girl； 〃but if he sees you； a stranger； it might confuse him and we might spoil the homecoming； and that would be such a pity。〃
So we went to Golden Milestone； laden with all the flowery spoil we could plunder from both gardens。 It was a clear amber…tinted September evening and far away； over Markdale Harbour； a great round red moon was rising as we waited。 Uncle Blair was hidden behind the wind…blown tassels of the pines at the gate； but he and the Story Girl kept waving their hands at each other and calling out gay； mirthful jests。
〃Do you really feel acquainted with your father？〃 whispered Sara Ray wonderingly。 〃It's long since you saw him。〃
〃If I hadn't seen him for a hundred years it wouldn't make any difference that way；〃 laughed the Story Girl。
〃S…s…h…s…s…hthey're coming；〃 whispered Felicity excitedly。
And then they cameBeautiful Alice blushing and lovely； in the prettiest of pretty blue dresses； and the Awkward Man； so fervently happy that he quite forgot to be awkward。 He lifted her out of the buggy gallantly and led her forward to us； smiling。 We retreated before them； scattering our flowers lavishly on the path； and Alice Dale walked to the very doorstep of her new home over a carpet of blossoms。 On the step they both paused and turned towards us； and we shyly did the proper thing in the way of congratulations and good wishes。
〃It was so sweet of you to do this；〃 said the smiling bride。
〃It was lovely to be able to do it for you； dearest；〃 whispered the Story Girl； 〃and oh； Miss ReadeMrs。 Dale； I meanwe all hope you'll be so； so happy for ever。〃
〃I am sure I shall；〃 said Alice Dale； turning to her husband。 He looked down into her eyesand we were quite forgotten by both of them。 We saw it； and slipped away； while Jasper Dale drew his wife into their home and shut the world out。
We scampered joyously away through the moonlit dusk。 Uncle Blair joined us at the gate and the Story Girl asked him what he thought of the bride。
〃When she dies white violets will grow out of her dust；〃 he answered。
〃Uncle Blair says even queerer things than the Story Girl；〃 Felicity whispered to me。
And so that beautiful day went away from us； slipping through our fingers as we tried to hold it。 It hooded itself in shadows and fared forth on the road that is lighted by the white stars of evening。 It had been a gift of Paradise。 Its hours had all been fair and beloved。 From dawn flush to fall of night there had been naught to mar it。 It took with it its smiles and laughter。 But it left the boon of memory。
CHAPTER XXVII
THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH
〃I am going away with father when he goes。 He is going to spend the winter in Paris； and I am to go to school there。〃
The Story Girl told us this one day in the orchard。 There was a little elation in her tone； but more regret。 The news was not a great surprise to us。 We had felt it in the air ever since Uncle Blair's arrival。 Aunt Janet had been very unwilling to let the Story Girl go。 But Uncle Blair was inexorable。 It was time； he said； that she should go to a better school than the little country one in Carlisle； and besides； he did not want her to grow into womanhood a stranger to him。 So it was finally decided that she was to go。
〃Just think； you are going to Europe；〃 said Sara Ray in an awe… struck tone。 〃Won't that be splendid！〃
〃I suppose I'll like it after a while；〃 said the Story Girl slowly； 〃but I know I'll be dreadfully homesick at first。 Of course； it will be lovely to be with father； but oh； I'll miss the rest of you so much！〃
〃Just think how WE'LL miss YOU；〃 sighed Cecily。 〃It will be so lonesome here this winter； with you and Peter both gone。 Oh； dear； I do wish things didn't have to change。〃
Felicity said nothing。 She kept looking down at the grass on which she sat； absentl