The S. W. F. Club

ked, as Pauline came do

ay aft

you come in, or shall we wait out here? Hilary is under

finding me my nag, horses appear to be at a premium in Winton, and even if he isn't first cousin to your Bedelia, I'm coming to take you and

"Just at present, it doesn't seem as if the summer woul

yet, what we are t

a drive and, afterwards

elf, knows about it. T

o so much of h

turned in at the parsonage drive at a fine speed, drawing up before the steps where Pauline and Shirley were sitting, with considerable nourish. Beside the driver sa

WINTO

prang down, a most business

e, I believe?" he asked, c

wered, too taken aback to kn

Tom said. "

deal more than I d

e here desirous of joining our litt

hich was decidedly very desirous of joining that trip. Only a deep sense of personal injury kep

ly. "How perfectly jolly! Oh, I am

ary!" Pauline sai

our pard

ughed and

dropped his mask of pre

with us-t

small flushed face, on which longing and indignation had been so plai

me," Tom urged, and Shirley

y, "that Patience may go this time-only

came an eager voice.

ives," Shirley said, "and if she hadn't

remarked-"I'd a good deal rather wor

ting. She had been out in the trap with Pauline several t

ve brought the Folly! Tom,

ardon,

ance. Fresh back from a winter in town, he had indulged high hopes of booming his sleepy little village as a summer resort, and had ordered the stage-since christened the Folly-for the convenience and enjoyment of the gues

tly. "It doesn't seem quite-respectful to actually sit down in the poor old thing. I wonder, if it's

e a Roman Holiday'

nto service, and now appeared also-"You ain't half buttoned up behind, Patience!" she protested, "and your h

iranda," Pauline comf

ien

in't I, Tom?" Patience urged. "You and I alw

process being completed, Patience climbed up to the high front seat, where she beamed down

"Not too far, Tom, for Hilary; and remem

assured her, and Patience

n blowing, and horses almost prancing-the proprietor of the hotel had given them his best horses, in honor of the Folly-she stared f

m was consulting

been concocting, Tom

"I am afraid we are a little behind sch

Patience explained. "You didn't expect to see m

er place in the stage, not altogether sure whether the etiquette o

ovely day, isn't it?" she remarked, while Shirl

red. "I've never ridden in the

to the hotel, when I

age. You reme

was the name the owner of the stage went by in Winton. "He'd ha

of those big 'Seeing New York' motors," Shirley said. "I came home f

inton seem foreig

m, while a small body-guard of children sprang up as if by magic to attend them on their way. This added greatly to the delight of Patience, who smiled condescend

of his party, "we will drive first to The Vermont House, a hostelry well known throughout

d cried. "I say, Tom,

it, and you'll always

mbling old hotel, from

mself, surveye

as a badge of office, raised like a conductor's baton, "I wish to impress upon your minds that the building now be

hat?" Uncle Jerry prot

ed the 'Wash

, that any and all information which I shall have the honor to impart to these strangers within our gates may be relied upon for its accuracy." He gave the drive

cottage, but its real title is 'The Flag House'; so called, because from that humble porch, the first Stars and Stripes ever seen in Winton flung its colors to the breeze. The original f

weather-stained building with new interest. "I thought," Bell Ward said at last, "tha

I," Hila

ther look. "I shall get father to come and sketch

hall have the pleasure of relating to you certain anecdotes regarding

ixon suggested hurriedly, "or it

d elms bordered it on all four sides. The Vermont House faced it, on the north, and on the opposit

hat he had not brought his opera glasses with him. "Really, you know," Tracy explained to his

mmanded, "the chap up in front is

out across the old green, flecked with the waving tree shadows, and bright with the buttercups nodding here and there, seemed to see those men and boys drilling there in the far-off summer twilights; to hear the sh

chool; somehow, they make one realize that there truly was a Revoluti

lling," To

re, white parsonage, with its setting of green lawn; past the old stone church, and on out into the by-roads of the village, catching now and then a glimpse of the great lake beyond; and now and then, down some lane, a bit of th

his mantle of authority, handing all further responsibili

rest scattered about the garden, a veritable rose garden

g down on the grass before the doctor's favorite La France, and l

were of white linen, there was a knot of red under the broad sailor collar, she was hatless and the dark hair,-never kept t

he city," Edna said slowly, "i

't been over to the manor lately, have you? I mean since we came there. We're really getting the garden to loo

thought she would like to go. "I su

terested in them, and it's just a

in," Tom remarked, coming across the la

r merely club preside

again. There comes Hilary-doesn't

well the first time I sa

rees at the foot of the garden, which in itself

ent," Bob declared. "It's going to be sort of

may have heard of him-would like to become an h

had been remarkably good that afternoon-so good that

of the work," Tracy explained, a

but mother won't let me join regularly-mother takes notion

n, young lady!"

ful eyes at him. "Father says pu

en't answered Tom yet. I vote we extend our t

eneral laugh among the real members, then Tom said, "If a Shaw votes for

carried," Bob

added, a quite unnecessary bit of elder

Jack Ward turned to Tom. "You see we don't in the least credit you with h

answered, "even the idea was n

ed forward, her face a

A," she said slowly, "

ll, of all the un

ple," Patience

ed; "I love him with an A, bec

n of The Apple Tree,"

y) on subjects-antede

ry a

king about?" Edna

," Pauline

lking down the back l

ience felt that she had

d see she wasn't just

s he-I don'

pose you did,"

ther man in the state; especia

ather and I read one of his books just the other wee

us through our paces. It's his boast that he was born, bred and educated right in Ve

ee right in front of the gate. He has an old house-keeper to look after

e says, they're books full of storie

et's change the subject. Are

Bell s

order," Pauline objected, "and

his club, that we shall go to no u

Bell

rge for the stage-he said he was only too glad to have the poor thing used-'

't a she," Pat

is feminine," Tra

r initial outing," Tom went on. "Said the

y!" Bob Dixon cried. "Let's

. "I never saw such people

ested, "with the name of the club in g

l acclamation, and after much discussio

, "and as two of our members have red hair

ident's getting personal," P

it to be next

it fell to Hilary. "I warn you," sh

embers going their various ways. Shirley went as far a

ht what to do when my turn comes. Only, I think you'll have t

d heartily. "This club's growing fast

d, "N-not exactly; I