h Alice, to take her at her word, and to
allow that he did not like the notion of going abroad. This was Dan's
notion of being frank; he could still reserve the fact that he had given
his mother a tacit promise to bring Alice home to live, but he postponed
even this. He said: "Oh, I guess that'll be all right, Alice. At
any rate, there's no need to think about it yet awhile. That can be
arranged."

"Yes," said Alice; "but don't you think I'd better get into the habit of
writing regularly to your mother now, so that there needn't be any break
when we go abroad?" He could see now that she had no idea of giving that
plan up, and he was glad that he had not said anything. "I think," she
continued, "that I shall write to her once a week, and give her a full
account of our life from day to day; it'll be more like a diary; and
then, when we get over there, I can keep it up without any effort, and
she won't feel so much that you've gone."

She seemed to refer the plan to him, and he said it was capital. In
fact, he did like the notion of a diary; that sort of historical view
would involve less danger of precipitating a discussion of the two
schemes of life for the future. "It's awfully kind of you, Alice, to
propose such a thing, and you mustn't make it a burden. Any sort of
little sketchy record will do; mother can read between the lines, you
know."

"It won't be a burden," said the girl tenderly. "I shall seem to be
doing it for your mother, but I know I shall be doing it for you. I do
everything for you. Do you think it's right?"

"Oh; it must be," said Dan, laughing. "It's so pleasant."

"Oh," said the girl gloomily; "that's what makes me doubt it."

XLII.

Eunice Mavering acknowledged Alice's first letter. She said that her
mother read it aloud to them all, and had been delighted with the good
account she gave of Dan, and fascinated with all the story of their
daily doings and sayings. She wished Eunice to tell Alice how fully she
appreciated her thoughtfulness of a sick old woman, and that she was
going to write herself and thank her. But Eunice added that Alice must
not be surprised if her mother was not very prompt in this, and she sent
messages from all the family, affectionate for Alice, and polite for her
father and mother.

Alice showed Dan the letter, and he seemed to find nothing noticeable in
it. "She says your mother will write later," Alice suggested.

"Yes. You ought to feel very much complime