efore the day is over, my dear," he said, as he put
her into the carriage, "and that will make it better traveling, no dust.
It's a shame that I should have to go in the other direction. Why
couldn't those people get married to-morrow instead of to-day, I should
like to know? Or why couldn't you stay twenty-four hours longer? Could
not stand it to be away from home another minute! Well, well, that's
right,--that's the way it should be. Hope Ward is as anxious to get you
back as you are to run off and leave us; perhaps he doesn't want you,
young lady." The rector laughed at Helen's confident look. "I don't half
like your going to Mercer by yourself," he added.

"Oh, I shall get along very well," said Helen cheerily. "I have no doubt
there'll be a letter for me from John at the post-office, and I will get
it as we go through the village. I'll have that to read."

"It will hardly last all the way to Lockhaven," Lois commented.

"Oh, yes, it will," answered Helen, with a ripple of joy in her tone,
which, for pure gladness, was almost laughter. "You don't know, Lois!"

Lois smiled drearily; she was sitting on the steps, her arms crossed
listlessly on her knees, and her eyes fixed in an absent gaze on the
garden.

"Here's Giff," Helen continued, arranging her traveling-bag and some
books on the opposite seat of the carriage. "I shall just have time to
say good-by to him."

"That is what I came for," Gifford said, as he took her hand a moment.
"I will bring Lois safely to you in a fortnight."

Mrs. Dale was on the porch, and Sally and Jean stood smiling in the
doorway; so, followed by hearty good-bys and blessings, with her hands
full of flowers, and the sunshine resting on her happy face and
glinting through her brown hair, Helen drove away.

Mr. Dale was at the post-office, and came out to hand her the letter she
expected.

"So you're off?" he said, resting his hand on the carriage door, and
looking at her with a pleasant smile. "You've made me think of the
starling, this last week,--you remember the starling in the Bastile?
'I can't get out,' says the starling,--'I can't get out.' Well, I'm glad
you want to get out, my dear. My regards to your husband." He stood
watching the carriage whirl down the road, with a shade of envy on his
face.

When Helen had gone, and the little group on the porch had scattered,
Lois rose to go into the house, but Gifford begged her to wait.

"You stay too much in-doors," he remonst