ll.
They found him interested in everything, in a light-hearted, boyish way
that made them overlook the fact that he was the president of a great
university. When they stopped on the hilltop to rest and enjoy the view,
he sat on the fence with them and talked foot-ball and cricket, and told
stories of college pranks without deducing a single useful lesson
therefrom. This was a surprise to Jack, for Dr. Pierce, who lived next
door to the Partons, was fond of morals, and went about with his pockets
full, so to speak.

Before they knew it, they found themselves confiding to him their plans
for the future.

"You must all come to our university," Rosalind said, with decision,
"mustn't they, Dr. Hollingsworth? Jack can study forestry, and Maurice
can study law; and Belle and Katherine--"

"I mean to study medicine if father will let me," Belle put in.

Dr. Hollingsworth smiled upon the bright-eyed little girl, in whose every
movement self-reliance and energy were written. "Don't be in haste to
decide," he said. "There is sure to be something for you to do, and
Rosalind and I shall be glad if, whatever it is, it brings you to our
university."

As they watched the president sign his name in the Arden Foresters' book
that afternoon, there was stirred in each young heart an impulse to be and
to do something worth while in the world.

Meantime, the report spread that in returning to Friendship, Dr.
Hollingsworth had had another object than merely to preach for Dr.
Pierce.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENTH.

OLD ENEMIES.

"Kindness nobler ever than revenge."

If things came right in the Forest, it was not through effort. One had
simply to surrender to its spell, to breathe in the beauty and the calm,
to live there, as the president had said.

Celia's thoughts were interrupted by Sally's hurried entrance.

"Laws a mercy! Miss Celia, honey, Mrs. Whittredge's in the parlor. I come
mighty nigh askin' her what she wanted in dis yere house."

Celia looked up in astonishment. Mrs. Whittredge! What could it mean? "And
she asked for me?" she repeated.

"I done tol' her your mamma was sick, but she 'lowed 'twas you she
wanted."

Celia recovered herself. "Very well, Sally," she said, but it was with a
beating heart she walked the length of the hall. Her enemy! What did it
mean?

Mrs. Whittredge, her heavy veil thrown back a little, stood beside the
table in the centre of the room.

"You are surprised, Celia," she said, a