her to be sociable before breakfast. In a few minutes
she knew all about the promised land to which the little pilgrim was
journeying, and showed such friendly interest in the wedding and the
other delights in store for her that Mary lingered over her toilet as
long as possible, in order to prolong the pleasure of having such an
attentive audience.

But she found others just as attentive before the day was over. The
grateful mother whose baby she played with, welcomed her advances as she
would have welcomed sunshine on a rainy day. The tired tourists who
yawned over their time-tables, found her enthusiastic interest in
everybody the most refreshing thing they had met in their travels. By
night she was on speaking terms with nearly everybody in the car, and at
last, when the long journey was done, a host of good wishes and
good-byes followed her all down the aisle, as her new-made friends
watched her departure, when the train slowed into the Union Depot in
Louisville. She little dreamed what an apostle of good cheer she had
been on her journey, or how long her eager little face and odd remarks
would be remembered by her fellow passengers.

All she thought of as the train stopped was that at last she had reached
her promised land.

Those of the passengers who had thrust their heads out of the windows,
saw a tall, broad-shouldered young man come hurrying along toward the
girls, and heard Joyce exclaim in surprise, "Why, Rob Moore! Who ever
dreamed of seeing _you_ here? I thought you were in college?"

"So I was till day before yesterday," he answered, as they shook hands
like the best of old friends. "But grandfather was so ill they
telegraphed for me, and I got leave of absence for the rest of the term.
We were desperately alarmed about him, but 'all's well that ends well,'
He is out of danger now, and it gave me this chance of coming to meet
you."

Mary, standing at one side, watched in admiring silence the easy grace
of his greeting and the masterful way in which he took possession of
Joyce's suit-case and trunk checks. When he turned to her to acknowledge
his introduction as respectfully as if she had been forty instead of
fourteen, her admiration shot up like mercury in a thermometer. She had
felt all along that she knew Rob Moore intimately, having heard so much
of his past escapades from Joyce and Lloyd. It was Rob who had given
Joyce the little fox terrier, Bob, which had been such a joy to the
whole family.