They had already paid a call at Ion, and now had come to make a short one at Fairview, and pick up Gracie, little Elsie, and Ned.

“Papa, papa!” shouted the two little ones, running to meet him as he came up the steps into the veranda, and holding up their faces for a kiss.

“Papa’s darlings!” he responded, taking them in his arms to caress and fondle them, then letting them go to give Gracie her turn.

“Is my feeble little girl quite well this morning?” he asked, in tender tones.

“Yes, papa, thank you,” she replied, giving him a vigorous hug, “and oh, so glad to see you!  Have you come to take us—­Elsie and Ned and me—­home for a while again?”

“I have,” he said, returning her hug.  “I can’t have your mamma at present, as her mother needs her, but my dear babies I need not do without.”

“Am I one of them, papa?” asked Gracie, with a smile.  “I’m almost eleven; but I don’t mind being one of your babies, if you like to call me that.”  His only reply was a smile and a loving pat on her cheek, for the two little ones were tugging at his coat and coaxing for a drive.

“Why, Elsie and Ned, you haven’t kissed me yet,” said Lulu.  “Gracie and Eva did while you were exchanging hugs and kisses with papa, and I think it’s my turn now.”

“So it is!  I love you, Lu,” cried Elsie, leaving her father for a moment to throw her arms round Lulu’s neck in a hearty and loving embrace; Ned quickly followed suit, then running to his father again, renewed his request for a drive in the carriage.

“Yes, my son, you shall have it presently,” said the captain; then he proposed to Evelyn that she and her two little cousins should join the party for a short drive in another direction, before he would take his own children home to Woodburn.

His invitation was joyfully accepted and in a few minutes they had all crowded into the captain’s carriage and were driving down the avenue.

The little ones were very merry, and the captain did not check their mirth.  He was, in fact, in very good spirits himself, because thus far Grandma Elsie’s cure had progressed so favorably.  It continued to do so from that time till in two weeks she was able to be up and about a part of every day, and Violet returned to Woodburn, though daily, when the weather permitted, she drove over to Ion and spent an hour or more with her mother.

Quite frequently the captain drove her over himself, and leaving her there, went on into the village to attend to some business matter, calling for her on his return.

On one of these occasions, going into the parlor he found there his wife, her mother, eldest sister and grandparents in earnest conversation with the doctor.

When the customary greetings had been exchanged, Grandma Elsie said to him, with a smile, “Captain, these good people seem to have leagued together to send, or to take me, to Viamede to spend the winter, Cousin Arthur having given it as his opinion that a warmer climate than this would probably be of benefit just at this time.”