oks in paper ready for
packing, when a step sounded, and glancing round she saw Clarence himself
standing in the doorway. He did not look angry, as she had feared he
might, or moody; and though he avoided her eye at first, his face was
resolute and kind.

"Geoff has told me," were his first words. "I know from what he said that
you, and he too, are afraid that I shall make myself disagreeable; so I've
come in to say that I shall do nothing of the kind."

"Dear Clarence, that wasn't what Geoff meant, or I either," said Clover,
with a rush of relief, and holding out both her hands to him; "what we
were afraid of was that you might be unhappy."

"Well," in a husky tone, and holding the little hands very tight, "it
isn't easy, of course, to give up a hope. I've held on to mine all this
time, though I've told myself a hundred times that I was a fool for doing
so, and though I knew in my heart it was no use. Now I've had two days to
think it over and get past the first shock, and, Clover, I've decided. You
and Geoff are the best friends I've got in the world. I never seemed to
make friends, somehow. Till you came to Hillsover that time nobody liked
me much; I don't know why. I can't get along without you two; so I give
you up without any hard feeling, and I mean to be as jolly as I can about
it. After all, to have you at the High Valley will be a sort of happiness,
even if you don't come for my sake exactly," with an attempt at a laugh.

"Clarence, you really are a dear boy! I can't tell you how I thank you,
and how I admire you for being so nice about this."

"Then that's worth something, too. I'd do a good deal to win your
approval, Clover. So it's all settled. Don't worry about me, or be afraid
that I shall spoil your comfort with sour looks. If I find I can't stand
it, I'll go away for a while; but I don't think it'll come to that. You'll
make a real home out of the ranch house, and you'll let me have my share
of your life, and be a brother to you and Geoff; and I'll try to be a good
one."

Clover was touched to the heart by these manful words so gently spoken.

"You shall be our dear special brother always," she said. "Only this was
needed to make me quite happy. I am so glad you don't want to go away and
leave us, or to have us leave you. We'll make the ranch over into the
dearest little home in the world, and be so cosey there all together, and
papa and the others shall come out for visits; and you'll like them s