youngest
reporter notice a strong resemblance between Gavin's photograph and
Aunt Janet. And indeed The Woman made such a fine story for the
visitors, encouraging them along any and every bypath that their
imagination might suggest, that not even Auntie Elspie could recognise
her quiet, unassuming, reticent boy in the prancing warrior that Mrs.
Johnnie Dunn permitted the representatives of the press to create.

The discovery of the perfidy of Algonquin in trying to steal Gavin made
some re-arrangement for his reception necessary. As he was to be met
at the quiet little nook in the swamp, instead of the noisy station at
Algonquin, young Mrs. Martin made her second suggestion. It was that
they have their programme and addresses of welcome right there in the
open, beside the Silver Creek, and the more informal part, the supper,
and some of the performances by the children, on their return.

This new arrangement met with every one's approval; even The Woman felt
it would be a good idea to welcome Gavin properly right at the station,
as soon as he stepped off. For the papers had all announced that
Orchard Glen was preparing a grand home-coming for their hero, and who
knew but there might be half-a-dozen reporters on the train to take
notes of how they were doing it?

At last the word for which every one was waiting came. Gavin had
reached Toronto; the hospital authorities were releasing him for a
time, and the day for his home-coming was set! Sandy Lindsay was in
Toronto at the time, and he wrote to Christina that he would be up with
Gavin. For the hero of the Victoria Cross dreaded this public
reception more than German gas, and insisted upon having some support
when he was compelled to march into it.

So Sandy took matters in his own hands and telegraphed Mr. Sinclair
that Gavin would arrive at Silver Creek on the two-thirty train, on a
Friday afternoon, and Orchard Glen sat up half the night before getting
ready.

Christina had never taken such a long time dressing in her life as she
did that afternoon. At first she was seized with a sudden panic of
shyness, and told herself she would not go. She knew the girls
gossiped about her sudden change of heart, and her relation to Gavin
was no secret. For the Aunties had been too happy to keep from
telling, and Mrs. Sutherland had not been guiltless of making
Christina's faithlessness public.

The girls were rather inclined to feel sorry for Christina. It did no