n her, had come upon Rose. That
was never for a moment to be believed. Nothing that had happened to
Rose, or was like to happen, could so change life to her as hers had
been changed. Rose was wiser and stronger than she had been, and she
was younger, too, and, perhaps, as Janet had said, "of a lighter
nature." Graeme comforted herself thus, saying to herself that the
cloud would pass away; and she waited and watched, and cared for her,
and soothed or chided, or shielded her still. She did all this
sorrowfully enough at times, yet hopefully, too, for she knew that
whatever the trouble might be that, for the present, made the summer
days a weariness to the desponding girl, it would pass away; and so she
waited, and had patience, and prayed that, out of it all, she might come
wiser and stronger, and more fitted for the work that was awaiting her
somewhere in the world.

"Graeme," said her sister, one day when they had been sitting for a long
time silent together, "suppose we were to go and see Norman and Hilda
this fall, instead of in the spring, as they propose."

"Would you like it?" asked Graeme, a little surprised.

"Yes. For some things I would like it;" and Graeme fancied there was
suppressed eagerness in her manner. "It is a better season to go, for
one thing--a better season for health, I mean. One bears the change of
climate better, they say."

"But you have been here so short a time. What would Arthur say, and
Fanny? It would look as if you only thought yourself a visitor here--as
if your home was with Norman."

Rose shrugged her shoulders.

"Well! neither Arthur nor Fanny would be inconsolable. The chances are
it may be my home. It is worth taking into consideration. Indeed, I
have been considering the matter for some time past."

"Nonsense! Don't talk foolishly, Rose. It is not long since you wished
me to promise that we should always remain together, and I have no
thought of going West to stay very long."

"And why not? I am sure Norman has a right to grumble at our being here
so long."

"Not at you, Rosie."

"No. Not at me. And, besides, I was not thinking of Norman,
altogether. I was thinking of making a home for myself out there. Why
not?"

Graeme looked up, a little startled.

"I don't understand you, Rose."

Rose laughed.

"No, you don't. But you think you do. Of course, there is only one way
in which a woman can have a home according, to the generally received
op