the store's going to open up under new parties--guess nobody
knows exactly. Hullo! who's that making signs?"

He indicated a tall figure on the sidewalk coming toward them at a rapid
rate, face alight, hat waving in air.

"It's Mr. Forbes Westcott," exulted Ruth, twisting around to look at her
sister. "Funny how he always happens to be visiting his father and
mother just as Rob is visiting you, isn't it, Aunt Ruth?"

Uncle Rufus drew up to the sidewalk, and the whole party shook hands
with a tall man of dark, keen features, who bore an unmistakable air of
having come from a larger world than that of the town of Eastman.

"Mrs. Gray--Miss Roberta--Miss Ruth--Mr. Gray--why, this is delightful.
When did you come? How long are you going to stay? It seems a thousand
years since I saw you last!"

He was like an eager boy, though he was clearly no boy in years. He
included them all in this greeting, but his eyes were ardently on
Roberta as he ended. Ruth, screwed around upon the front seat and
watching interestedly, could hardly blame him. Roberta, in her furry
wrappings, was as vivid as a flower. Her eyes looked black beneath their
dusky lashes, and her cheeks were brilliant with the touch of the winter
wind.

"When did you come? How did you find your father and mother?" inquired
Roberta demurely.

"Well and hearty as ever, and apparently glad to see their son--as he
was to see them. I've been devoting myself to them for three days now,
and mean to give them the whole week. It's only fair--isn't it?--after
being away so long. How fortunate for me that I should meet you; I might
not have found it out till I had missed much time."

"You've missed much time already," put in Uncle Rufus. "They came last
night."

"Put your hat on, Forbes," was Aunt Ruth's admonition as Westcott
continued to stand beside Roberta, exchanging question and answer
concerning the long interval which had intervened since they last met.
"Come over to supper to-night, and then you young people can talk
without danger of catching your death of cold."

Westcott laughed and accepted, but the hat was not replaced upon his
smooth, dark head until the sleigh had gone on.

"Subjects always keep uncovered before their queen," whispered Ruth in
Uncle Rufus's ear, and he laughed and nodded.

"Times have changed since I was a young man," said he. "A fellow would
have looked queer in my day unwinding his comforter and pulling off his
coonskin cap and st