e his own tone tolerant.

"Making plans without a word to mother--or Uncle Johnny? But you'll come
to us, my dear, and be grateful for our advice. I don't believe just a
lot of dances will satisfy my girl--even if they do Amy Mathers. And
after they're over--what then? Will you really be a bit different from
the other girl because you've 'come out'? What do you say to taking up
your drawing again and after a few years going over to Paris to study?"

The defiant gleam in Isobel's eyes changed slowly to incredulous
delight. Uncle Johnny went on:

"And even an interior decorator needs a college training."

"John Westley, you're a wonder," declared Mrs. Westley after the young
people had gone upstairs. "You ought to have a half-dozen youngsters of
your own!"

He stared into the fire, seeing visions, perhaps, in the dancing flames.
"I wish I did. I think they're the greatest thing in the world! To make
a good, useful man or woman out of a boy or girl is the best work given
us to do on this earth!"

CHAPTER XV

CUPID AND COMPANY

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea----"

scanned Gyp in a singsong voice. Then she stopped abruptly; she realized
that Miss Gray was not hearing a word that she was saying!

Miss Gray had asked Gyp to come to her after school. It was a glorious
winter day and Gyp's friends were playing hockey on the little lake. Gyp
had faced Miss Gray resentfully.

"Please scan three pages, Miss Westley," Miss Gray had said, putting a
book into Gyp's hands. And now, in the middle of them, Miss Gray was
staring out across the snowy slopes of the school grounds, not hearing
one word, and blinking real tears from her pale-blue eyes!

Little Miss Gray, for years, had come and gone from Lincoln in such a
mouse-like fashion that no one ever paid much attention to her; upon her
changing classes, as an individual, she left scarcely any impression; as
a teacher she was never cross, never exacting, gave little praise and
less censure; she worked more like a noiseless, perfect machine than a
human being.

Gyp had never noticed, until that moment, that she had blue eyes--very
pretty blue eyes, fringed with long, dark lashes. No one could see them
because she was nearsighted and wore big, round, shell-rimmed glasses,
but now she had removed these in order to wipe her tears away. Gyp,
fascinated by her discoveries, stared openly.

Gyp's heart neve