t little gabbling village belle, and
was dragged about by the younger sisters to look at everybody's
presents.

"Must be a long time since we saw you here, Miss Page?" said the old
doctor, smiling at her over his glasses, as he carved at luncheon.

"I was here two years ago, one afternoon," Julia smiled. "But I think I
haven't seen _you_ since 'The Amazons'--eight years ago!"

"Eight years!" Barbara said, struck. "Mother, do you realize that it is
eight years since I was in that play with the Hazzards and Gray Babcock
and the Grinells? Isn't that _awful_?" She fell into sombre thought.

Julia went through the day in a sort of deep study. This was the
enchanted castle that had stood to her for so long as the unattainable
height of dreams; these were the envied inhabitants of that castle.
Everything was the same, except herself, yet how incredibly the change
in her affected everything about her! She was at home here now, could
answer the table pleasantries with her ready, grave smile, could feel
that her interest in Constance and Jane was a pleasure to them, or could
pick a book from the drawing-room table with the confidence that what
she said of it would not be ridiculous. She could even feel herself
happier than Barbara, who listened so closely to what Julia said of the
settlement house, and sighed as she listened.

After luncheon Richie took her driving over cold country roads, behind a
big-boned gray mare, and adored her, though she never dreamed it,
because she neither offered to take the reins nor asked him at intervals
if his back was tired. He was finishing work at the school of medicine
now, and although he could never hope to be in regular practice, his
thin, bony face was very bright as he outlined his plans. Julia listened
to him sympathetically, and said good-bye to him at the boat with a
sense of genuine liking on both sides. Miss Toland was waiting for her
on the upper deck, her long nose nipped and red in the cold air.

"Well, he saw that you didn't miss it, after all!" said she, with a
welcoming light for Julia in her sharp eyes, though she did not smile.
"Sit down! I've been hearing nice things about you, my dear! I said to
Sally, 'So there _is_ something in old maids' children, eh?'" Miss Toland
chuckled; she was well pleased with her protegee. Julia settled herself
comfortably beside her. She liked to watch the running gray water, and
to feel the cold December wind in her face. The thought of Mar