ng sense of painful loneliness. These
level fields and these farm-houses so strangely built, so varied in
colour were the "settlemints," and these people so nicely dressed, so
clean and fresh-looking were "furriners." At one station a crowd
of school-girls had got on board and she had watched them with keen
interest, mystified by their incessant chatter and gayety. And at last
had come the big city, with more smoke, more dust, more noise, more
confusion--and she was in HIS world. That was the thought that comforted
her--it was his world, and now she sat alone in the dismal parlours
while Hale was gone to find his sister--waiting and trembling at the
ordeal, close upon her, of meeting Helen Hale.

Below, Hale found his sister and her maid registered, and a few minutes
later he led Miss Hale into the parlour. As they entered June rose
without advancing, and for a moment the two stood facing each other--the
still roughly clad, primitive mountain girl and the exquisite modern
woman--in an embarrassment equally painful to both.

"June, this is my sister."

At a loss what to do, Helen Hale simply stretched out her hand, but
drawn by June's timidity and the quick admiration and fear in her eyes,
she leaned suddenly forward and kissed her. A grateful flush overspread
the little girl's features and the pallor that instantly succeeded went
straight-way to the sister's heart.

"You are not well," she said quickly and kindly. "You must go to your
room at once. I am going to take care of you--you are MY little sister
now."

June lost the subtlety in Miss Hale's emphasis, but she fell with
instant submission under such gentle authority, and though she could say
nothing, her eyes glistened and her lips quivered, and without looking
to Hale, she followed his sister out of the room. Hale stood still.
He had watched the meeting with apprehension and now, surprised and
grateful, he went to Helen's parlour and waited with a hopeful heart.
When his sister entered, he rose eagerly:

"Well--" he said, stopping suddenly, for there were tears of vexation,
dismay and genuine distress on his sister's face.

"Oh, Jack," she cried, "how could you! How could you!"

Hale bit his lips, turned and paced the room. He had hoped too much and
yet what else could he have expected? His sister and June knew as little
about each other and each other's lives as though they had occupied
different planets. He had forgotten that Helen must be shocked by J