the quiet for a time." He bent down close to Mrs. De Peyster's ear.
"Don't let Mary know how mother objected to her; I haven't told
her, and she doesn't guess it. And oh, Matilda," he bubbled out
enthusiastically, "she's the kind of a little sport that will stick
by a chap through anything, and she's clever and full of fun, and a
regular little dear!"

He turned. "Come here, Mary," he called softly. "This is Matilda."

The next instant a slight figure threw its arms about Mrs. De Peyster
and kissed her warmly.

"I'm so glad to meet you at last, Matilda!" exclaimed a low, clear
voice. "Jack has told me how good you have been to him ever since he
was a baby. I know we shall be the very, very best of friends!"

"And so--you're--you're married!" mumbled Mrs. De Peyster.

Jack was too excited by his happiness to have noticed Mrs. De
Peyster's voice had it been a dozen-fold more unlike Matilda's than
it was. "Yes!" he cried. "And wouldn't it surprise mother if she knew!
Mother, sailing so unsuspiciously along on the Plutonia!" He gave a
chortle of delight. "But oh, I say, Matilda," he cried suddenly, "you
mustn't write her!"

Mrs. De Peyster did not answer.

"We don't want her to know yet," Jack insisted; "that's one reason
we've done the whole thing so quietly." Then he added jocosely:
"If you tell, there's a thing I might tell her about you.
About--u'm--about you and William. Want me to do that--eh? Better
promise not to tell."

"I won't," whispered Mrs. De Peyster.

"It's a bargain, then. But there's something else that would surprise
her, too. I'm going to work."

"But not at once," put in Mary de Peyster, _nee_ Mary Morgan, in her
soft contralto voice, that seemed to effervesce with mischief. "Tell
Matilda what you're doing to do."

"I've already told you, Matilda, about my little experiment in
the pick-and-shovel line. I decided that I didn't care for that
profession. I've saved a few hundred out of my allowance. Monday I'm
going to enter the School of Mines at Columbia--am going to study
straight through the summer--night and day till the money gives out.
By that time I ought to be able to get a job that will support us. And
then I'll study hard of nights till I become a real mining engineer!"

"But we've got to live close! Oh, but we've got to live close!"
exclaimed Mary joyously, as though living close were one of the
chiefest pleasures of life.

"Yes, we've certainly got to live close!" emphasized J