stranded in Overton
and have to walk ties to Oakdale."

"If I do, I shall take you with me. As a trouper you ought to be
proficient in that exercise," laughed Grace.

"As a successful exponent of the dramatic art," began Anne pompously,
"I----"

"Miss Pierson! Miss Pierson!" Mrs. Elwood's voice was heard in the hall
at the foot of the stairs.

Anne sprang to the door. "Here I am, Mrs. Elwood," she called, stepping
down the hall to the head of the stairs.

"Here's a telegram for you. Will you please come downstairs and sign for
it?"

Anne hurried down the stairs, her heart beating violently. She signed
the messenger boy's book, shoved the pencil into his hand and ran back
to Grace as fast as her feet would carry her.

"It's a telegram, Grace. It's for me. I'm afraid to open it," she cried,
dashing into the room. "Open it. I dare not. Oh, if anything has
happened to Mother or Mary!"

Grace took the envelope Anne held out to her. Her own hands were
trembling with apprehension, yet she managed to tear open the envelope
and draw out the fateful message. There was the crackling sound of
unfolding paper, then Grace cried out in joyful tones: "Anne, you never
can guess! It is too good to be true!"

Anne sprang to her feet, and darting to where Grace stood, the open
telegram in her hands, peered over her shoulder. A moment later she and
Grace joined hands and performed a joyful dance about the room.

"What on earth is the cause of all this jubilation?" queried Miriam's
voice from the doorway. "I knocked, but no one paid any attention to me.
It sounded from the outside as though you might be engaged in deadly
conflict, so I decided to interfere."

The dance ceased and Grace thrust the telegram, which she still held,
into Miram's hands. "Read it," she commanded.

"Will arrive in Overton 5:30. Meet me. With love. Rose Gray."

And, reinforced by Miriam, the dance was begun again with renewed vigor.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE FAIRY GODMOTHER'S VISIT

Three excited young women burst in upon Elfreda, who, seated on the
floor before her trunk, hastily deposited a large flat package in the
tray and slammed down the lid. "Why didn't you knock!" she grumbled,
looking mild displeasure at the intruders. "If you had come five minutes
sooner you would have seen your Christmas presents, and I couldn't have
stopped you. I'm going to have a 'Busy, Keep Out' sign made to hang on
the door until Christmas."

"Don't be cr