"Then the smile is a mask，"she said，"and is assumed to conceal the man's real feelings.""I do not think so，"Ethel answered，thoughtfully."Thesmile is habitual，and dominates any other expression his features might be capable of；but that it is assumed I do not believe.Thomas is a simple—minded，honest—hearted old fellow，and to face the world smilingly is a part of his religion.I am sure he has nothing to conceal，and his devotion to his blind wife is very beautiful.""But Nora—how long has she been blind？""Perhaps all her life；I cannot tell how long.Yet it is wonderful how perfectly she ？nds her way without the aid of sight.Captain Wegg used to say she was the best housekeeper he ever knew.""Did not his wife keep house for him，when she wasalive？""I do not remember her.""They say she was most unhappy."Ethel dropped her eyes and did not reply.
"How about Cap'n Wegg？"asked Uncle John."Did you like him？You see，we're mighty curious about the family，because we've acquired their old home，and are bound to be interested in the people that used to live there.""That is natural，"remarked the little school teacher，with a sigh."Captain Wegg was always kind to me；but theneighbors as a rule thought him moody and bad—tempered."After a pause she added："He was not as kind to his son as to me.But I think his life was an unhappy one，and we have no right to reprovea his memory too severely for his faults.""What made him unhappy？"asked Louise，quickly.
Ethel smiled into her eager face.
"No one has solved that problem，they say.The Captain was as silent as he was moroseb."The detective instinct was alive in Louise.She hazarded a startling query：
"Who killed Captain Wegg？"she demanded，suddenly.Another smile preceded the reply.
"A dreadful foe called heart disease.But come；let meshow you my garden.There are no such roses as these for miles around."Louise was confident she had made progress.Ethel had admitted several things that lent countenance to the suspicions already aroused；but perhaps this simple country girl had never imagined the tragedy that had been enacted at her very door.
She cordially urged Ethel Thompson to spend a day with them at the farm，and Uncle John，who was pleased with the modesty and frankness of the fair—haired little school teacher，earnestly seconded the invitation.
Then he thought of going home，and the thoughtreminded him of Dan.
"Do you know，"he inquired，"where I could buy a decent horse？"The girl looked thoughtful a moment；then glanced up with a bright smile.
"Will you buy one off me？"she asked.
"Willingly，my dear，if you've an animal to sell.""It's—it's our Joe.He was grandfather's favorite colt whenhis trouble came upon him.We have no use for him now，for I always ride or drive my pony.And grandmother says he's eating his head off a to no purpose；so we'd like to sell him.If you will come to the barn I'll introduce you to him."Joe proved on inspection to be an excellent horse，ifappearances were to be trusted，and Ethel assured Mr.Merrick that the steed was both gentle and intelligent.
"Do you use that surreyb？"inquired Uncle John，pointingto a neat vehicle that seemed to be nearly new.