It was Rob who had shared all the interesting life at The
Locusts which she had heard pictured so vividly that she had long felt
that she even knew exactly how he looked. It was somewhat of a shock to
find him grown up into this dignified young fellow, broad of shoulders
and over six feet tall.

As he led the way out to the street and hailed a passing car, he
explained why Lloyd had not come in to meet them, adding, "Your train
was two hours late, so I telephoned out to Mrs. Sherman that we would
have lunch in town. I'll take you around to Benedict's."

Mary had never eaten in a restaurant before, so it was with an inward
dread that she might betray the fact that she followed Joyce and Rob to
a side-table spread for three. In her anxiety to do the right thing she
watched her sister like a hawk, copying every motion, till they were
safely launched on the first course of their lunch. Then she relaxed her
watchfulness long enough to take a full breath and look at some of the
people to whom Rob had bowed as they entered.

She wanted to ask the name of the lady in black at the opposite table.
The little girl with her attracted her interest so that she could hardly
eat. She was about her own age and she had such lovely long curls and
such big dark eyes. To Mary, whose besetting sin was a love of pretty
clothes, the picture hat the other girl wore was irresistible. She
could not keep her admiring glances away from it, and she wished with
all her heart she had one like it. Presently Joyce noticed it too, and
asked the very question Mary had been longing to ask.

"That is Mrs. Walton, the General's wife, you know," answered Rob, "and
her youngest daughter, Elise. You'll probably see all three of the girls
while you're at The Locusts, for they're living in the Valley now and
are great friends of Lloyd and Betty."

"Oh, I know all about them," answered Joyce, "for Allison and Kitty go
to Warwick Hall, and Lloyd and Betty fill their letters with their
sayings and doings." Mary stole another glance at the lady in black. So
this was an aunt of the two little knights of Kentucky, and the mother
of the "Little Captain," whose name had been in all the papers as the
youngest commissioned officer in the entire army. She would have
something to tell Holland in her next letter. He had always been so
interested in everything pertaining to Ranald Walton, and had envied him
his military career until he himself had an opportunity to go into