omfortable for September. Early in October, Ruth wants to go with the
girls to the hotel at Lenox, for a week or two of the autumn sports
there. The automobile can travel comfortably over most of the Berkshire
roads."

Mr. Stuart's tones were as persuasive as Ruth's. "But, when the girls
come to the chosen place, they can store the car in some suitable garage,
and take the trails up the sides of the mountain, either on horseback or
afoot."

"But Barbara's foot," insisted Mrs. Thurston weakly, in the first pause
that gave her an opportunity to speak.

"Oh, Bab's ankle will be all right, mother!" Mollie cried. "We have
spoken to the doctor, and he says Bab will be jumping about as lively as
a cricket in a few days."

"Mrs. Thurston," said Mr. Stuart, speaking in his heartiest voice, "I
want to be allowed the floor in this conversation. I have something to
propose on my own account. A party of friends of my sister's and mine are
going west on a sight seeing trip. Among them is a railroad president and
his wife, and their private car is to be used for the tour. It would give
me great pleasure to have you meet them and make your journey to St. Paul
in their company. My sister wishes to assure you that you will find them
thoroughly congenial and will no doubt enjoy the trip. To tell the truth,
Miss Stuart has already written our friends to expect you, for I had
determined that you should go at all events.

"As for our daughters," he continued, "I am greatly interested in this
camping scheme for them. I know, from my own experience, that nothing can
be made more delightful than our modern fashion of 'roughing it.' I
intend to make the necessary arrangements, and properly equip this
camping party myself. I shall even run up to the Berkshires for a day or
two, to look over the ground. I want to engage a guide for the party, and
a woman to do the cooking. Then I must see if the little log cabin is all
the circular says it is. It is rented out to camping parties all through
the year. Come, Mrs. Thurston," questioned Mr. Stuart, "don't you think
this is a good scheme for everyone?"

"Right you are, Mr. Stuart!" Bab called out rapturously. By this time
Mollie and Ruth were both on the floor, with their arms around Mrs.
Thurston.

"We do so want to lead 'the simple life,' dear Mrs. Thurston," Ruth
begged. "Think how splendid for us to have a month out of doors before we
go back to hard work at school." Ruth made a wry face. S