against her mother's: "Not to be able to be in
two places at once. Now, if you were with me at Overton I wouldn't have
a thing left to sigh for. You don't know how much I miss you, Mother,
and Father, too. Sometimes I grow so homesick that I can't read or study
or do anything but just think of you. Anne says she can always tell when
I am extra blue."

"Your college life is only the beginning of our parting of ways, dear
child. Mother would like to keep you safe and sheltered at home, but you
are too active, too progressive, to be content as a home girl," said
Mrs. Harlowe rather sadly. "You are likely to discover that your work
lies far from Oakdale, but you know that whatever or wherever it may be
your father and I will wish you Godspeed. You are to be perfectly free
in the matter of choosing your future business of life."

"Don't I know that, you dearest, best mother a girl ever had!" exclaimed
Grace, a quick mist clouding her gray eyes. "But never fear, I shan't
ever stay away from you long at a time. I couldn't." Unwinding her arms
from about her mother's neck, Grace linked one arm through Mrs.
Harlowe's and marched her into the adjoining living room.

"Doesn't it look exactly like Christmas?" she asked proudly. "See the
tree. Isn't it a beauty? We have loads of presents, too. Isn't Miriam a
goose and a dear all rolled into one? She won't come to my Christmas
tree because she isn't one of the Eight Originals. I asked her to be a
Ninth Original, but she said 'No.' She is coming, though, only she
doesn't know it. David received a telegram from Arnold Evans yesterday.
He is expected to-night on the six o'clock train. Miriam doesn't know
that, either. She thinks he was unable to come, and won't she be
surprised when he appears to escort her to our house?" Grace laughed
gleefully in anticipation of Miriam's astonishment at sight of Arnold
Evans, who was always a welcome addition to their little company.

Two immeasurably happy days had passed since the train from the east had
steamed away from Oakdale, leaving three eager girls on the platform of
the station. The evening train had brought Eva Allen, Marian Barber,
Jessica Bright and Nora O'Malley. Grace, Miriam and Anne, accompanied by
a slender, brown-eyed young woman, whom they addressed as Mabel, had met
the train. Jessica Bright's radiant delight at beholding the face of her
foster sister, Mabel Allison, can be better imagined than described.
Mabel and her mother