had begun to gather, then
straightway started out to make the most of the eight little weeks left
to her at The Locusts. When she went with the others to the station "to
give the house-party on wheels a grand send-off," as Kitty expressed it,
her bright little face was so happy that it brought a smiling response
from every departing guest.

"Good-by, Miss Mary," Miles Bradford said, cordially, coming up to her
in the waiting-room. "The Pilgrim Father has much to thank you for. You
have helped him to store up some very pleasant memories of this happy
Valley."

"Good-by, little Vicar," said Phil next, seizing both her hands. "Think
of the Best Man whenever you look at the Philip on your shilling, and
think of his parting words. _Do_ profit by that dreadful dream, and
don't take any rash steps that would lead to another cat-fight. We'll
take care of your sister," he added, as Mary turned to Joyce and threw
her arms around her neck for one last kiss.

"Lieutenant Logan will watch out for her as far as he goes, and I'll
keep my eagle eye on her the rest of the way."

"Who'll keep an eagle eye on you?" retorted Mary, following them out to
the platform.

He made a laughing grimace over his shoulder, as he turned to help Joyce
up the steps.

"What a good time they are going to have together," thought Mary,
watching the group as they stood on the rear platform of the last car,
waving good-by. "And what a different parting this is from that other
one on the desert when he went away with such a sorry look in his eyes."
He was facing the future eagerly this time, strong in hope and purpose,
and she answered the last wave of his hat with a flap of her
handkerchief, which seemed to carry with it all the loyal good wishes
that shone in her beaming little face.

Miles Bradford had made a hurried trip to the city that morning, to
attend to a matter of business, going in on the ten o'clock trolley and
coming back in time for lunch. On his return, he laid a package in
Mary's lap, and handed one to each of the other girls. Joyce's was a
pile of new July magazines to read on the train. Lloyd's was a copy of
"Abdallah, or the Four-leaved Shamrock," which had led to so much
discussion the morning of the wedding, when they hunted clovers for the
dream-cake boxes.

Mary's eyes grew round with surprise and delight when she opened her
package and found inside the white paper and gilt cord a big box of
Huyler's candies. "With the compl