live here must be a sort of education," said Mr. Fairfax as they arrived
within view of the ancient church and its precincts.

Mr. John Short saw and smelt opportunities of improvement, but he agreed
that Beechhurst for picturesqueness was most desirable. Every cottage
had its garden, and every garden was ablaze with flowers. Flowers love
that moist sun and soil, and thrive joyfully. Gayest of the gay within
its trim holly hedge was the Carnegies. The scent of roses and
mignonette suffused the warm air of evening. The doctor was going about
with a watering-pot, tending his beauties and favorites, while he
watched for the children coming home. His name and profession, set forth
on a bright brass plate, adorned the gate, from which a straight
box-edged path led to the white steps of the porch. The stable entrance
was at the side. Everything about the place had an air of well-doing and
of means enough; and the doctor himself, whom the strangers eyed
observantly from the height of their saddles, looked like his own master
in all the independence of easy circumstances.

Visitors to the Forest were too numerous in summer to attract notice.
Mr. Carnegie lifted his head for a moment, and then continued his
assiduities to a lovely old yellow rose which had manifested delicate
symptoms earlier in the season. Next to his wife and children the doctor
was fond of roses. The travellers rode past to the door of the "King's
Arms," and there dismounted. Half an hour after they were dining in an
up-stairs, bow-windowed room which commanded a cheerful prospect up and
down the village street, with a view of the church opposite and a side
glance of Mr. Carnegie's premises. They witnessed the return of Bessie
and the boys, and the fatherly help and reception they had. They saw the
doctor lift up Bessie's face to look at her, saw him pat her on the
shoulder encouragingly as she made him some brief communication, saw him