f worship.

She choked a little at the glance and put her hands together in her lap
with a quick catching at self-control.

"And now the fun's all over and the work begins," she said, looking down.

"I know that," he asseverated.

She lifted up her eyes and looked at him so very kindly. And then--after a
little pause to gain command of word and thought she spoke again, slowly.

"Listen," she said, this time very softly, but very seriously. "I want to
tell you one thing and I want to tell it to you now. I had a good and
sufficient reason for helping you out with Aunt Mary; but--" She hesitated.

"But?" he asked.

"But I've no reason at all for helping your Aunt Mary out with you, unless
you prove worthy of her, and--"

"And?"

She looked at him, and shook her head slightly.

"I won't say 'and of me,'" she said finally.

"Why not?" he asked, a storm of tempestuous impatience raging behind his
lips. "Do say it," he pleaded.

"No, I can't say it. It wouldn't be right. I don't mean it, and so I won't
say it. I'll only tell you that I can promise nothing as things are, and
that unless you go at life from now on with a tremendous energy I never
shall even dream of a possible promising."

He rose to his feet and towered above her, tall and straight and handsome,
and very grave.

"All right," he said simply. "I'll remember."

Ever so much later that evening he rose to bid her good-night.

"Whatever comes, you've been an angel to me," he said in that hasty five
seconds that her hand was his.

"Shall I ever regret it?" she asked, looking up to his eyes.

"Never," he declared earnestly, "never, never. I can swear that, and I
shall be able to swear the same thing when I'm as old as my Aunt Mary."

Mrs. Rosscott lowered her eyes.

"Who could ask more?" she said softly.

"I could," said Jack--"but I'll wait first."

CHAPTER NINETEEN - AUNT MARY'S RETURN

Joshua was at the station to meet his mistress, and Lucinda, full to the
brim with curiosity, sat on the back seat of the carryall.

Aunt Mary quitted the train with a dignity which was sufficiently
overpowering to counteract the effect of her bonnet's being somewhat awry.
She greeted Joshua with a chill perfunctoriness that was indescribable,
and her glance glided completely over Lucinda and faded away in the open
country on the further side of her.

Lucinda did not care. Lucinda was of a hardy stock and stormy glances
neither bent nor broke h