sound of the bells was lost, and then, with a sigh, he went to
his work.

With all the vantage of the daylight start, it took good driving
among the drifts to get over the twenty-eight miles that lay
between Greenwood and Trenton before the universal noon
dinner, and as the sleigh drew up at the Drinkers' home on
the main street of the village, the meal was in the air if not on
the table.

[Illustration: "You set me free."]

For this reason the two girls had not a chance for a moment's
confidence before dinner; and though Janice was fairly
bursting with all that had happened since Tibbie's visit, the
departure of the squire for Burlington immediately the meal
was ended, and the desire of Tabitha's father and aunt to have
news of Mrs. Meredith and of the doings "up Brunswick way,"
filled in the whole afternoon till tea time--if the misnomer
can be used, for, unlike the table at Greenwood, tea was a
tabooed article in the Drinker home. One fact worth noting
about the meal was that Janice asked if any of them knew
who Thalia was.

"Ay," said Mr. Drinker, "and the less said of her the
better. She was a lewd creature that--"

"Mr. Drinker!" cried Tabitha's aunt. "Thee forgets there
are gentlewomen present. Wilt have some preserve, Janice?"