nconsideratest persons! You know I'm perfectly wild to know what's in
that letter!"

"Run away now, Patience," her mother said. "You shall hear about it
later," and when Patience had obeyed--not very willingly, Mrs. Shaw
turned again to Pauline. "We must show this to your father, before
making any plans in regard to it, dear."

"He's coming now. You show it to him, please, mother."

When her mother had gone down-stairs, Pauline still sat there in the
window seat, looking soberly out across the lawn to the village street,
with its double rows of tall, old trees. So her flag had served little
purpose after all! That change for Hilary was still as uncertain, as
much a vague part of the future, as it had ever been.

It seemed to the girl, at the moment, as if she fairly hated Winton.
As though Hilary and she did not already know every stick and stone in
it, had not long ago exhausted all its possibilities!

New people might think it "quaint" and "pretty" but they had not lived
here all their lives. And, besides, she had expressly told Uncle Paul
that the doctor had said that Hilary needed a change.

She was still brooding over the downfall of her hopes, when her mother
called to her from the garden. Pauline went down, feeling that it
mattered very little what her father's decision had been--it could make
so little difference to them, either way.

Mrs. Shaw was on the bench under the old elm, that stood midway between
parsonage and church. She had been rereading Uncle Paul's letter, and
to Pauline's wonder, there was something like a smile of amusement in
her eyes.

"Well, mother?" the girl asked.

"Well, dear, your father and I have talked the matter over, and we have
decided to allow you to accept your uncle's offer."

"But that--hateful condition! How is Hilary to get a chance--here in
Winton?"

"Who was it that I heard saying, only this morning, Pauline, that even
if Uncle Paul didn't agree, she really believed we might manage to have
a very pleasant summer here at home?"

"I know--but still, now that we know definitely--"

"We can go to work definitely to do even better."

"But how, mother!"

"That is what we must think over. Suppose you put your wits to work
right now. I must go down to Jane's for a few moments. After all,
Pauline, those promised twenty-fives can be used very pleasantly--even
in Winton."

"But it will still be Winton."

"Winton may develop some unexplored corners, som