secretary, you'll have to promise to
carry out her promise."

"David," she met him with equal jest, "you have as many promises in that
sentence as a candidate for political office."

"But I want them better kept than that," he said, laughing. "Will you
promise, Phoebe?"

"Promise what?" she asked, the levity fading suddenly.

"To write often for mother."

"Yes--I promise to write often for Mother Bab," she said, and the man
could not know the effort the simple words cost her. "Oh, Davie," she
thought, "it's not for Mother Bab alone I want to write to you! I want
to write you _my_ letters, letters of a girl to the man she loves. How
blind you are!"

The moment was becoming tense. It was Mother Bab who turned the tide
into a normal channel. "Now, don't you worry, Davie. I can make Phoebe
mind me."

The train whistled. Phoebe drew a long breath and prayed that the train
would make a short stop and speed along for she could not endure much
more. She looked at Mother Bab. The hysteria was turned from her. She
knew she would have to be brave for the sake of the dear mother.

"I'll take care of Mother Bab, David," she promised as the train drew
in, "and I'll write often."

"Phoebe, you're an angel!" He grasped both hands in his for a long
moment. Then he turned to his mother, folded her in his arms and kissed
her.

"There he is," Phoebe cried as the train moved. She was eyes for Mother
Bab. "Turn to the right a bit and wave; that's it! He's waving back----
Oh, Mother Bab, he's waving that box of sand-tarts Aunt Maria gave him!
They'll be in pieces!"

"Sand-tarts," said the other, still waving to the boy she could not see.
"Well, he'll eat them if they are broken. Davie is crazy for cookies."

"I'm going to need you more than ever now, Phoebe," Mother Bab said as
they started home. "Aunt Mary and Phares are so busy and I feel it's so
lovely of them to have me there when I can do so little to help, that I
don't want to make them more trouble than I must. So if you'll take care
of the writing to David for me I'll be glad." Ah, blind Mother Bab, you
had splendid vision just then!

"I'll write for you. I'll love to do it. Mother Bab----" She hesitated.
Should she broach the subject of the operation now? Perhaps it would be
kind to divert the thoughts of the mother from the recent parting.
"Mother Bab, I've thought about what you said, and I think you should
have that operation. The doctor said there was a chance."