t brown eyes studied the older
woman's face eagerly; but what she saw there was fully satisfactory,
for she smiled, and rattled joyfully on in the old babbling-brook
voice that reminded one so of years ago.

"I'm not to tell you what we've really come for till Allison comes,
because I've promised; and anyway he's the man, and he wants to tell
you himself; but it's the dandiest reason, perfectly peachy! It's
really a plan. And say, Cloudy, dear, won't you promise me right here
and now that you will say 'Yes' to what he asks you if you possibly,
_possibly_ can?"

Julia Cloud promised in a maze of delight.

She stood in hovering wonder, and watched the mass of curls come down
and go up again with the swift manipulation of the slim white fingers,
remembering how she used to comb those tangled curls with the plump
little body leaning sturdily against her knee. It seemed to be the
first time since she was a child that youth and beauty had come to
linger before her. All her experience had been of sickness and
suffering and death, not life and happiness.

There was stewed chicken and little biscuits with gravy for supper. It
was a dish the children used to love. It was all dished up and
everything ready when Allison came back. He reported that the car was
housed but a block away, and the man had gone to his train, tickled to
death with his cookies. Allison was so glad to be back that he had to
take his aunt in his arms again and give her a regular bear-hug till
she pleaded for mercy, but there was a happy light in her eyes and a
bright color in her cheeks when he released her that made her a very
good-looking aunt indeed to sit down at the table with two such
handsome children.

Just at that moment Ellen Robinson in her own home was pouring her
husband's second cup of coffee.

"Don't you think I'd better take the car and run down for Julia
before dark?" she said. "I think she'll be about ready to come back
with me by this time, and I need her early in the morning if I'm going
to begin cleaning house."

"Better wait one more night," said Herbert stolidly. "Let her get her
fill of staying alone nights. It'll do her good. We don't want her to
be high and mighty when she gets here. I'm boss here, and she's got to
understand that. She's so mighty independent, you know, it's important
she should find that out right at the start. I'm not going to have her
get bossy with these children, either. They aren't her children."

Fo