itt's coming to call to-night and bring a
friend, a Mr. Haynerd, an editor. What's Jude got for supper? My! I'm
starved."

The Beaubien drew the girl to her and kissed her again and again. Then
she glanced over her shoulder at the man with a bantering twinkle in
her eyes and said, "Don't you wish you could do that? But you can't."

"Yes he can, too, mother," asserted the girl.

Father Waite sighed. "I'm afraid it wouldn't look well," he said.
"And, besides, I don't dare lose my heart to her."

With a final squeeze the girl tore herself from the Beaubien's
reluctant arms and hurried to the little kitchen. "What is it
to-night, Jude?" she demanded, catching the domestic in a vigorous
embrace.

"Hist!" said Jude, holding up a finger. "It's a secret. I'm afraid
you'd tell him."

"Not a word--I promise."

"Well, then, liver and bacon, with floating island," she whispered,
very mysteriously.

"Oh, goody!" cried Carmen. "He just loves them both!"

Returning to the little parlor, Carmen encountered the fixed gaze of
both the Beaubien and Father Waite. "Well?" she demanded, stopping and
looking from one to the other.

"What about that two dollars?" said the Beaubien, in a tone of mock
severity.

"Oh," laughed the girl, running to the woman and seating herself in
the waiting lap, "he told, didn't he? Can't I ever trust you with a
secret?" in a tone of rebuke, turning to the man.

"Surely," he replied, laughing; "and I should not have divulged
this had I not seen in the incident something more than mere
chance--something meant for us all."

Then he became serious. "I--I think I have seen the working of a
stupendous mental law--am I not right?" addressing the girl. "You saw
a need, and met it, unsolicited. You found your own in another's
good."

The girl smiled at the Beaubien without replying. "What about it,
dearie?" the latter asked tenderly.

"She need not answer," said Father Waite, "for we know. She but cast
her bread upon the unfathomable ocean of love, and it returned to her,
wondrously enriched."

"If you are going to talk about me, I shall not stay," declared
Carmen, rising. "I'm going out to help Jude." And she departed for the
kitchen, but not without leaving a smile for each of them as she went.
And they understood.

The Beaubien and Father Waite remained some moments in silence. Then
the woman spoke. "I am learning," she said. "She is the light that is
guiding me. This little incident which yo