"Although I haven't seen them as lately as you have, yet I can't help thinking, from what you told me, that the Barlows and the St. Clairs would enjoy themselves better if they visited here at different times, and I'm sure the same is true of your Boston cousins.

She is a friend of the Barlows, and lives near them in Philadelphia, and she was visiting them down at Long Island when I was there last summer.

"Not that it's worth while to have everything in such spick-and-span order," said Patty to herself, "for the Barlows won't appreciate it, and what's more they'll turn everything inside out and upside down before they've been in the house an hour.

The Barlows never catch the train they intend to take.

But I've never seen her except with the Barlows, and when she was down at the Hurly-Burly she was just about as uncertain as the rest of them.

"Never once thought of it," said Bob, "You know the Barlows are not noted for ingenuity.

The Vernondale young people were quite ready to provide pleasures for Patty's guests, and the appreciation shown by Nan and the Barlows was a decided and very pleasant contrast to the attitude of Ethelyn and Reginald.

CHAPTER XXII AT THE SEASHORE Toward the end of August the Barlows' visit drew toward its close.

THE STOCKMAN’S LAST BED MUSTERING SONG THE AUSTRALIAN STOCKMAN THE SHEPHERD THE OVERLANDER A THOUSAND MILES AWAY THE FREEHOLD ON THE PLAIN THE WALLABY BRIGADE MY RELIGION BOURKE’S DREAM BILLY BARLOW IN AUSTRALIA INTRODUCTION “All human beings not utterly savage long for some information about past times, and are delighted by narratives which present pictures to the eye of the mind.

But old aunt died, and left me a thousand—“Oh, oh, I’ll start on my travels,” said Billy Barlow.

And I handed my card, “Mr. William Barlow.”

Oh dear, lackaday, oh, In the list of insolvents was Billy Barlow.

He looked as though the one thing in life he had desired was to find Mrs. Barlow and her military companion in possession of the little drawing-room.

Germany is the nearest to us of the continental nations, isn't she, by relationship and race?" "Mrs. Barlow," Selingman pronounced, "yours is the most sensible allusion to international politics which I have heard for many years.

" "You are frightening me, Captain Fielder," Mrs. Barlow declared.

" "But the impossible is happening all the time," Mrs. Barlow protested.

" "But there's France," little Mrs. Barlow reminded him.

" "Then I don't see," Mrs. Barlow sighed, "why we shouldn't have a rubber of bridge.

" "I was told by a man in the War Office," Mrs. Barlow announced, "that England would stand by her treaty to Belgium, and that Germany has made all her plans to invade France through Belgium.

" "It does sound all right," Mrs. Barlow admitted.

Mrs. Barlow was the first to break the silence with a piercing shriek.

Mrs. Barlow exclaimed.

" "The costume is quite becoming," Mrs. Barlow murmured, glancing at herself in the looking-glass, "and I adore those poor dear soldiers.

Of the Quaifes and the Scottons and the Barlows I have nothing but dreary memories.

Like all the other Barlows of Barnstable on Cape Cod, Billy had worked for his every penny.