ghtful that the
doctor should have some real right to her.

"You have never been to New York?"

"Oh, no!" with a wonder in her tone.

"Then it will be a great treat. Can she be ready by tomorrow
morning?"

"Will she be really needed?"

"Oh, yes, tomorrow is set for the finishing of her business; I must
get back early. There is a big fight on another estate. What an amount
of litigation money does make! This has been clear sailing after we
found all the heirs and fenced out all those who had no claim. Miss
Marilla Bond, I congratulate you, and I should really like to hear
Mrs. Johnson on the subject. Were you happy there?"

"I liked it better at Mrs. Borden's, but it is best here," she
answered.

They branched off into several amusing episodes. Miss Armitage ordered
some coffee and cake. Lorimer glanced at the chess men.

"Why were you on the side of the white queen?" he asked.

"Because--because I chose her for Miss Armitage, and nothing must
happen to her."

Oh! There was an earnest of love in the beautiful eyes. She was a
charming little girl.

Then they made all arrangements; they were to take the 8:10 train.
"Could Marilla be ready that early in the morning?"

"Yes," was the rather reluctant answer.

They made their adieu. Lorimer thanked her for a delightful evening.

"I suppose it's all settled, old fellow! You are lucky with the
prospect of such a home and such a presiding--shall I call her the
goddess of the hearth? That room is a perfect gem, and you three
people are to the manner born."

"Not so fast if you please. It is outside of my daily life, a place of
rest and refreshing where a pilgrim may pause now and then."

"You two people are in love."

"I am, I admit."

"Then you are a dolt if you don't go in and win."

"I asked her more than a year ago. She gave me friendship. We are
simply good comrades in our work for the world."

"She doesn't look like a woman whose heart is buried in some one's
grave."

"She has a foolish, insurmountable reason. I am a few years her
junior," he said in a half satiric tone. "And I have a reason that
escaped me then. She is rich and I am comparatively poor."

"Nonsense! There should never be anything but pure love between the
man and the woman who are the complement of each other. What a
fascinating picture you three made! And you both love the child. I'm
glad she is going to have a chance with education. With those eyes she
ought to be beyond the