"
"I am rejoiced to hear it," Elsie said, looking after them with glad tears
in her eyes as they left the room together.
* * * * *
The children were enjoying themselves greatly at the Oaks. Horace
Dinsmore, Jr., and his young wife made a very pleasant host and hostess.
Horace's reminiscences of his own childhood and his sister Elsie's
girlhood in this, her old home, were very interesting, not to Rosie and
Walter only, but to the others.
They were shown her suite of rooms, the exact spot in the drawing-room
where she stood during the ceremony that united her to Mr. Travilla, and
the arbor--still called Elsie's arbor--where he offered himself and was
accepted.
They had an equally pleasant visit at the Laurels, whither they went
directly from the Oaks, Gracie wondering why she was not permitted to go
to see mamma first for a while, and grieving over it for a time.
They were not told what had taken place in their absence, until the day of
their return to Ion.
Mrs. Dinsmore had driven over for them, and after an hour's chat with her
daughter, Mrs. Lacey, sent for the children, who were amusing themselves
in the grounds.
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