ed
Luke to find an opportunity during this week-end visit to the old Corner
House to open his heart to Ruth. In return the girl was frank enough to
tell him just how glad she was that he had acted as he had before
knowing that Neighbor would approve.

"For of course, Luke, money doesn't have to enter the question at all.
Nevertheless, I know you will desire to be established in some business
before we are really _serious_ about this thing."

"Serious, Ruth!" exclaimed the young man. "Well-- I don't know. Seems to
me I've never been really serious about anything in my life before."

Though she spoke so very cautiously about their understanding, Ruth
Kenway sent Luke back to college Sunday evening knowing that she
coincided with his plans and hopes perfectly.

The party on Saturday night--the first of several evening entertainments
the girls gave that winter--was a very delightful gathering. The
visitors from out of town enjoyed themselves particularly because the
bugbear of Neighbor's opposition to Luke's desires had been dissipated.

"Lucky boy, Luke," his sister told him. "And you may thank Ruthie Kenway
for your happiness in more senses than one. It was she who charmed your
crochety old friend. No other girl could have done it."

"Don't you suppose I know that?" he asked her, with scorn.

That party, of course, was enjoyable for the smaller Corner House girls
as well as for their elders. There was nothing really good that Tess and
Dot ever missed if Ruth and Agnes had it in their power to please their
smaller sisters.

"It's most as good as having a party of our very own," sighed Tess, as
she and Dot and Sammy Pinkney sat at the head of the front stairs with
plates of ice cream and cake in their small laps.

"It's better," declared Dot. "'Cause we can just eat and eat and not
have to worry whether the others are getting enough."

"Why, Dot Kenway!" murmured Tess. "That sounds awful--awful piggish."

"Nop," said Sammy. "She's right, Tess. You see, Dot means that she
really can have a better time if there isn't anything to worry about.
Now, there was that day we went off and took a ride on that canalboat."

"Being pirates," put in Dot, with a reminiscent sigh.

"Yep," went on the philosophic Sammy. "We'd have had an awful nice day
if there'd been nothing to worry us. Wouldn't we, Dot?"

"I--I guess so," agreed the smallest Corner House girl slowly. "But just
the same, Sammy Pinkney, I'm never going to run