ng into her face.

"The Deans of whom I am which, have always been advocates of the truth,"
solemnly declared Emma, "therefore I will follow their illustrious
example and answer 'I was.' You tied _my_ hands and _my_ tongue so I
couldn't fight for you, Gracious, but you couldn't tie Kathleen's."

"Oh, Emma, I have so much to tell you. I hardly know where to begin. I'm
so happy. It's wonderful to feel once more that I am considered worthy
of my work. You and I will have many more seasons of it, together."

"I wish we might," returned Emma, but a curious wistfulness crept into
her eyes that Grace failed to note.

The two friends talked on until dinner time and went downstairs
together, arm in arm. After dinner Emma pleaded an engagement with Miss
Duncan, Grace's former teacher of English, and left the house at a
little after seven o'clock. Grace slipped into her little office and
seated herself at her desk. How glad she was that all was well again.
Yes, she and Emma would, indeed, spend many more seasons together. Yet,
somehow, the thought of her work did not give her the same thrill of
satisfaction that it once had. Try as she might she could not keep
thoughts of Tom from creeping into her mind. Where was he to-night? Had
he forgotten her? Mrs. Gray had not once mentioned his name to her, and
she had not dared to ask for news of him. Her somber reflections were
interrupted by Jean Brent and her aunt. A complete reconciliation had
taken place. Miss Brent was now anxious to thank Grace for all she had
done in her niece's behalf. They lingered briefly, then went on to the
Hotel Tourraine, where Miss Brent had registered. They had not been gone
long when the ringing of the door bell brought Grace to her feet. Mrs.
Gray had arrived. She hurried to the door to open it for her Fairy
Godmother. Then she drew back with a sharp exclamation. The tall,
fair-haired young man who towered above her bore small resemblance to
dainty little Mrs. Gray.

[Illustration: Tom's Strong Hands Closed Over Hers.]

"Grace!" said a voice she knew only too well.

"Tom," she faltered. Then both her hands went out to him. His own strong
hands closed over them. The two pairs of gray eyes met in a long level
gaze.

"Come into my office, Tom." She found her voice at last. "I--I thought
you were thousands of miles away in a South American jungle."

"So I was, but I didn't go very deeply into it. Professor Graham met
with a serious accident and we