I can't help it. It's almost ten o'clock now, and at three we shall be
going away from you all."

"No, you won't," Charlotte whispered in her ear. "It was to have been a
surprise, but I think you'll enjoy it more to know. Only don't tell
Evelyn. Doctor Forester has telegraphed your mother and received her
answer. You're not to go till to-morrow night at six, and we're to have
twenty-eight hours together in Washington."

"Oh! _Oh_!" Lucy almost screamed, so that the others looked around at
her and smiled. "Oh, I do think Doctor Forester and you are just the
nicest people I ever knew!"

Doctor Forester's secret was not very well kept, after all. Lucy
whispered the good news to Jeff, and he could not forbear telling it to
Evelyn just as the train was drawing out of Baltimore. His own spirits
had been drooping as time went on, but the reprieve of a day sent them
up with a bound.

"The question is what we shall do with our time," said Doctor Forester,
looking round at his party in the hotel parlour, where he had taken
them. "Speak up, everybody. We can divide our forces if necessary. Is
there anybody here who hasn't been here before?"

Lucy and Randolph seemed to be the only ones not more or less familiar
with the capital. On hearing this, Doctor Forester declared that he
should himself take them to as many of the most interesting places as
possible.

"Whatever we do to-night, I vote for the trip down the Potomac to Mount
Vernon in the morning," said Doctor Churchill, promptly. "We'll get back
in plenty of time for Evelyn's train, and there certainly isn't a better
way to put in the time than that."

This was heartily agreed upon, and the remainder of the day was used in
various ways, not more than two of which, it may be remarked, were
alike. Charlotte smiled meaningly at her husband as she watched Celia
and Fred Forester, having proceeded half-way across Lafayette Park with
Jeff and Evelyn, leave the two at a cross-path, and walk briskly off by
themselves.

"That's certainly a sure thing, isn't it?" said he.

"No question of it, I think."

"Are you satisfied?"

"Perfectly. I haven't seen very much of Fred since he--and we--grew up,
but if he's his father's son----"

"He is, I think," said Doctor Churchill, confidently. "And the doctor
likes it, I'm sure. There's satisfaction in his face whenever he looks
at them. In fact, I can't help thinking he planned both the house party
and this trip with a view of bri