each one added his bit to the general fund, or took with him the
knowledge he was eagerly seeking.

And when someone said, "Heard from your son yet, Mr. Adams?" he could
only make a negative gesture.

"If there isn't some word of Cary Adams soon, his father will never live
to welcome him home," said Madam Royall to her daughter. "He grows
thinner every day. What a perfect Godsend Doris has been!"

Madam Royall was hale and hearty though she had lived through many
sorrows.

The coveted news came first from Betty. She had written a letter to send
by a private messenger, and opened it to add this postscript:

"Mr. Bowen is waiting for this letter. Mr. King has just come in with
the news that two ships have arrived at Portsmouth. Among the officers
is 'Lieutenant Cary Adams.' That is all we know."

"Oh, Uncle Win!" Doris' eyes swam in tears of joy. "Read Betty's
postscript." Then she ran out of the room and had a good cry by herself,
though why anyone should want to cry over such joyful news she could not
quite understand.

Afterward she tied on her hat and ran over to Madam Royall's and then up
to Sudbury Street. For in those days people were wont to say to their
neighbors, "Come, rejoice with me!"

When she returned home the house was very quiet. Solomon came and rubbed
against her in mute inquiry. No one was in the study. She went out to
the kitchen.

"Don't disturb your uncle, Doris," said Miss Recompense. "The news quite
overcame him. He has gone to lie down."

After dinner she went out again for some lessons. Oh, how bright the
world looked, though it was a day in later March, but the wind had a
Southern softness. Soon the wild flowers would be out. There was a very
interesting new study, botany, that the previous autumn had taken groups
of girls out in the lanes and fields, and some had ventured to visit the
Botanic Gardens at Harvard University. Doris was much interested in it.

Uncle Winthrop came to supper, and Doris played and sang for him during
the evening. For though Cary was the uppermost thought in both hearts,
they could not talk about him.

It was a tedious post journey from Washington to Boston. One had to
possess one's soul in patience. But the letter came at length.

Cary had to go to Washington, as there was some prize money and claims
to be inquired into. He had handed in his resignation, and should
hereafter be a private citizen of dear old Boston. There was much more
that gladdened