o to bed this minute or I shall never have
strength of mind to get up. And I can't leave Father Davy to the tender
mercies of Mrs. Perkins longer than I can help. She'll give him
everything that is bad for him, in spite of the best intentions."

It was a wide-awake Georgiana, nevertheless, who, fully dressed for the
drive, leaned over Jeannette's bed at ten o'clock that morning and
kissed a warm velvet cheek, murmuring: "Don't wake up, Jean. We're just
off after breakfast. I'll write soon. You've been a perfect darling, and
I'm more grateful than I can tell you."

"Oh, I'm dead to the world, I'm so tired!" moaned the girl in the bed.
"I always have to pay up so for dancing all night. But you,"--she lifted
languid eyelids to see her cousin's smiling freshness of face and air of
vigour--"why, you look as though you had had twelve hours' sleep--and a
cold plunge!"

"I've had the cold plunge," admitted Georgiana, laughing. "And I'm 'fit
as a fiddle,' as Jimps says. He sent his good-bye to you and told me to
tell you he'll never forget you--never!"

"Tell him I'll not let him forget me--or you, either. Oh, how I hate to
have you go, both of you!"

Through a silent, sleeping house Georgiana and Stuart stole, the only
member of the family up to see them off being Mr. Thomas Crofton
himself, the oldest person under the great rooftree.

"My dear, you must come again, you must come often," he urged, holding
Georgiana's hand and patting it with a paternal air. He was a handsome
man in the early sixties, with graying hair and tired eyes. "You have
done a great deal for our Jean; she looks much stronger than when she
went to your home. But neither she nor Rosalie can enter the race with
you for splendid health. That comes from your country life, I suppose.
I envy you, I envy you, my dear."

"Come and see us, Uncle Thomas--do. Father Davy would be so happy; you
know he's such an invalid. But his mind and heart are as young as ever."

"I will come; I will drive down some day, thank you, Georgiana. I should
like to see David again. Mr. Stuart, come again, come again. Good-bye;
sorry your aunt was too much done up to see you off this morning, my
dear. Good-bye."

As the two emerged from the door a tall figure sprang up the steps.
"What luck! I was passing and I suspected you were just getting off.
Good morning! Can you possibly be the girl I saw dancing seven hours
ago?"

"I don't wonder you ask, Mr. Channing," laughed Georg