, provided her Fairy Godmother should decide
not to go to the wedding. Should she do so, then they would probably
wait until the following morning. At all events she would be ready.

Her labor of packing accomplished, Grace set off for her interview with
Mrs. Gray. She found the lonely old lady raised to the nth power of
indignation over the deplorable newspaper notice. Anger at that
"detestable Forde person" had electrified her into a semblance of her
formerly vivacious self. Grace was delighted at the change, but had
considerable difficulty in reconciling her wrathful Fairy Godmother to
her own point of view.

"I dare say you may be right, child," she reluctantly conceded, after
Grace had held forth at length. "That villainous young man may possibly
have done us a good turn, unawares. It was sweet in little Arline to
write me so beautifully. What a narrow escape she has had, to be sure!
If Tom were anything like this miserable man, Forde, I should not care
whether or not he ever came back. The publicity of this has upset my
nerves completely. We shall have to weather it, I suppose, now that the
mischief is done."

"I am glad you can look at it in that light," was Grace's earnest
response. "Are you going to New York to see Miriam married, dear?"

"Bless me, I had quite forgotten Miriam's wedding. When is it to be?"

"Then you haven't received her letter!" Grace cried out in dismay.

"I haven't looked at any of my mail, except this letter from Arline. It
was first on the pile. Jane gave me the newspaper when I returned last
night. She had already seen the article about Tom. Would you mind
sorting the mail? Miriam's letter is probably among the others. I have
tried to pay special attention to my mail since my poor boy vanished,
for fear of missing something I ought to know. But this morning my mind
was on Arline's letter and that newspaper. I think I shall have to
engage a secretary. You know I've never had one since Anne gave up the
position."

Grace, whose fingers and eyes had been busy while Mrs. Gray talked, held
up a square white envelope. "Here is Miriam's letter."

"I think we had better go to-day," decided Mrs. Gray, when at her
request Grace had read her Miriam's letter. "This is Wednesday. That
will give us two days with the Nesbits. As it is only half-past ten we
can catch that 12.30 train, provided you are ready. Ring for Jane. She
can quickly pack whatever I need to take with me. It is lucky that I