s
brave," and cried over it. When Josephine and Mr. James came in there
was more excitement, and Kittie opened one eye and shut it again right
off, and the doctor said she was all right except for the shock, and her
father and Josephine cried, so Mabel didn't have to any more. She was
glad, too, I can tell you.

They put Kittie to bed in a room at the club, for the doctor said she
was such a high-strung child it would be wise to keep her perfectly
quiet for a few hours and take precautions against pneumonia. Then
Josephine went around asking for Mr. Morgan.

By and by he came down, in dry clothes but looking dreadfully
uncomfortable. Mabel said she could imagine how he felt. Josephine was
standing by the open fire when he entered the room, and no one else was
there but Mabel. Josephine went right to him and put her arms around his
neck.

"Dearest, dearest!" she said. "How can I ever thank you?" Her voice was
very low, but Mabel heard it. George said right off, "There is a way."
That shows how quick and clever he is, for some men might not think of
it. Then Mabel Blossom left the room, with slow, reluctant feet, and
went up-stairs to Kittie.

That's why Mabel has just gone to Kittie's home for a few days. She and
Kittie are to be flower-maids at Josephine's wedding. I hope it is not
necessary for me to explain to my intelligent readers that her husband
will be George Morgan. Kittie says he confessed the whole thing to
Josephine, and she forgave him, and said she would marry him anyhow; but
she explained that she only did it on Kittie's account. She said she did
not know to what lengths the child might go next.

So my young friends have gone to mingle in scenes of worldly gayety,
and I sit here in the twilight looking at the evening star and writing
about love. How true it is that the pen is mightier than the sword!
Gayety is well in its place, but the soul of the artist finds its
happiness in work and solitude. I hope Josephine will realize, though,
why I cannot describe her wedding. Of course no artist of delicate
sensibilities could describe a wedding when she hadn't been asked to it.

Poor Josephine! It seems very, very sad to me that she is marrying thus
late in life and only on Kittie's account. Why, oh, why could she not
have wed when she was young and love was in her heart!

The Wizard's Touch

BY ALICE BROWN

Jerome Wilmer sat in the garden, painting in a background, with the
carelessness of e