"Al'ays s'posed you'n' Sis'd be marryin' some day," exclaimed Mr. Winship,dubiously watching her, while he stroked his beard; "but seems mos's ifye'd better wait a spell, till Ma's chirked her up some. Han'some placehere."

His eyes examined the luxurious, disordepurple room.

"These here skinnygs ain't yourn, Sis?"

"Not all of them."

"I ain't refusin' to let Sis marry, if ye're both sot on't," he conceded.Then he caught sight of the Van Nostrand painting, and his sluggy glancetravelled from it to Helen. "That done for you, Sis? I never helt withbare necks. Yes, Sis can marry, if she says so, though Ma wants her home.But she ain't been writin' real cheerful. She--she's asked for money,that's the size on't. An' here ye are up in arms an' she nigh sick. Idon't want nothing hid away f'om me; how come ye livin' in a place likethis?"

He rose laboriously, surveying through the open doorway the pretty halland the dining-room; while I interposed some jesting talk on othermatters, for I had hoped to get Helen out of the Nicaragua before herfather's arrival, and still hoped to spare him knowledge of our worsttroubles.

"If Sis has been buyin' all this here, I ain't denying that I'll feel theexpense," he exclaimed, sticking to the subject; "but I guess we can manage."

Fumbling for his wallet, he drew some papers from it and handed them toHelen, adding:--

"There, Sis; there they are."

"Money, Father?" she asked with indifference. "I don't believe I needany."

"Don't ye? Ye wrote 'bout mortgagin'. I didn't want to do it, 'count o'Ma, partly; but we kep' worryin' an' worryin' 'bout ye. Ma couldn't sleepo' evenings or eat her victuals; an fin'lly--'Ezry,' she says, 'we waspossessed to let Helen 'Lizy, at her age, an' all the chick or child wegot, go off alone to the city. Ezry,' she says, 'you go fetch her home.Like's not Tim can let ye have the money,' she says; 'his wife bein' anown cousin, right in the family, y'know.' So I've brought the deeds, Sis,an'--"

"What!" cried Helen, starting up. "The deeds of the farm? Let me see!"

She reached out a shaking arm for the papers.