And all day long, though he saw her so often, he never once heard her
sing. She made no song over her work, as used to be her habit. He
wondered if Mavis was not working her too hard in this terribly
exhausting weather. He wondered also if he would ever be able to say
quite naturally what he had for so long wished to say and felt he
ought to say--that Norah must be given a holiday, that she must be
sent somewhere at a considerable distance and stay there in charge of
kind and respectable people for an indefinite period. Mavis might
consider the suggestion so strange; and it might be impossible to
explain that, strange as it seemed, it was nevertheless full of
wisdom--a suggestion that should be acted upon without an instant's
delay.
The supper table had been brought out into the open air, and it stood
upon the flagged path, where they had spread their hospitable feast
for the higgler's wedding. Norah was coming in and out of the kitchen,
and Dale sat watching her as she arranged knives, forks, and glasses.
Both the children were to be of the party; and they might stay up as
late as they pleased, because as it was too hot to sleep in their
beds, it did not matter how long the young people remained out of
them.
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