X

A REUNION

At length all too soon for Uncle Bob and Hannah, and indeed far sooner
than Jean and Giusippe had realized, October came, and the time for
starting for Pittsburgh was at hand. To the young people their
departure was not without its anticipations. Jean longed to see Beacon
and Uncle Tom, and Giusippe burned with eagerness to take up the
position his uncle had secured for him at Mr. Curtis's factory.

"How odd it is, Giusippe," Jean mused one day, "that we each have an
uncle waiting for us. And besides that you have an aunt, too, haven't
you? I wish I had. I'd love to have an aunt! As it is I have only
Beacon."

"Maybe you'll have one some day," was Giusippe's vaguely consoling
answer. "But anyway I shouldn't think you would care much. You have
Miss Cartright, and she is almost as good as an aunt."

"I suppose she is something like one," admitted Jean, "only, you see,
she doesn't live where I do, so I can't see her very often. Of course
she has sent me nice letters since she got home to New York and
sometimes she writes Uncle Bob, too; but it isn't really like seeing
her. When I think that the day after to-morrow she is to meet us in New
York it seems too good to be true. Won't it be fun? I love Miss
Cartright! Do you suppose she looks just the same as she did when she
was with us on the steamer?"

"I suppose so. Your uncle said she did when he saw her in New York."

"I know it. He has had lots of chances to see her because he has been
over there so many times on business trips. I wish we had. But we shall
see her now, anyway. Oh, I am so glad!" Jean whirled enthusiastically
round the room. "I think we are to have a pretty nice visit in New York
if we do all the things Uncle Bob is planning to. He says he is going
to take us to the studio of one of his friends and show us how stained
glass windows are made. I shall like to see that, sha'n't you?"

So the boy and girl chattered on little dreaming, in the delight of the
pleasures in store for them, how lonely at heart were Mr. Cabot and
poor Hannah.

"If it wasn't that Jean is coming back in the spring I should be
completely inconsolable," lamented Hannah. "I cannot bear to part with
the child. But she will surely be back again, won't she, Mr. Bob? There
won't be any other plan made? You'll certainly insist that Mr. Curtis
send her home to us in May, won't you?"

"There, there, Hannah, dry your eyes. Of course Jean will be back. I
have no more m