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 younger days, when they had lived on their parents' farms, some miles back of Chantico. She kept a watchful eye on Gerald's convalescence, and generally was like Cæsar in having "to do all things at one time," and, like the mighty Julius, she did not complain of the situation.

The resources of the farm-house, except for Mrs. Obed's lively talk, were modest in such an emergency. One could not put his head out of the door except the wind nearly blew it off. But any thing must needs have been of a wonderfully distracting sort to beguile, for Philip Touchtone, at least, hours that he knew must be costing their friends great suspense or deep grief. There was a backgammon-board, with the legend "History of England" on the back, deceiving nobody. Gerald found amusement in another quite astonishing pastime, entitled, as to its large and gaudy label, "The Chequered Game of Life: A Moral and Instructive Amusement for Youth of Both Sexes. By a Friend to Them."

"I wonder if it is meant for us?" Gerald asked when he unearthed this ancient treasure. "I never heard of 'youth of both sexes'