up the job if it
proves too burdensome for you."

"And you to dismiss me if I do not prove capable for the position,"
suggested Julia Cloud, lifting meek and honest eyes to meet his gaze.

"Well, well, well, I can see there won't be any need of that!"
sputtered the old gentleman pleasantly. "But, however that is, this is
the contract I've made out. And I'm quite satisfied. So are the
children. Are you willing to sign it? Of course there's a clause in
there about reasonable notice if there is dissatisfaction on either
side; that lets you out at any time you get tired of it. Only give me
a chance to look after these youngsters properly."

Julia Cloud took the pen eagerly, tremblingly, a sense of wonder in
her pounding heart, and signed her name just as Ellen's heavy
footsteps could be heard pounding down the back stairs. Leslie seized
Julia, and gave her a great hug as the last letter was finished, and
then threw open the parlor door in the nick of time to save her Aunt
Ellen from seeming to be deserted.

Ellen Robinson appeared on the scene just in time to witness the
hearty hand-shake that Guardy Lud gave Julia Cloud as he picked up the
papers and went up-stairs for his suitcase while Allison went after
the car to take him to the train.

"Is that man married? Because, if he isn't, I don't think it's
respectable for you to go and live near him!" declared Ellen in a
penetrating voice to the intense distress of Julia Cloud, who was
happily hurrying the dishes from the breakfast table.

But Leslie came to the rescue.

"Oh, indeed, Aunt Ellen, he's very much married! Altogether too much
married for comfort. He would be a dear if it wasn't for his silly
little old bossy wife! But he doesn't intend to live anywhere near us.
His home is off in California, and he's going back next week. He's
only waiting to see us settled somewhere before he goes back; so you
needn't worry about Aunt Jewel's morals. We'll take good care of her.
But isn't he a dear? He was my Grandfather Leslie's best friend."

Leslie chattered on gayly till the visitor's footsteps could be heard
coming down-stairs again, and Ellen Robinson could only shut her lips
tight and go into the kitchen, from which her sister beat immediately
a hasty retreat lest more unpleasant remarks should be forthcoming.

Julia Cloud bade Mr. Luddington good-by, standing on her own front
steps, and then waited a moment, looking off toward the hills which
had shut in her vi