Mrs. Darling stayed on the piazza two whole hours longer, but Father never came out at all again.
It was the next morning that Susie said this over the back-yard fence to Bridget:
"It does beat all how popular this house is with the ladies—after college hours!"
And Bridget chuckled and answered back:
"Sure it is! An' I do be thinkin' the Widder Darlin' is a heap fonder of Miss Jane now than she would have been had poor dear Mr. Darlin' lived!"
And she chuckled again, and so did Susie. And then, all of a sudden, I knew. It was Father all those ladies wanted. It was Father Mrs. Darling wanted. They came here to see him. They wanted to marry him. They were the prospective suitors. As if I didn't know what Susie and Bridget meant! I'm no child!
But all this doesn't make Fathe
