work
again and should have little time to think. The past few days had
wearied him inexpressibly. He had come to look on life as a passing
show, and to feel almost too utterly left out of any pleasure in it.

It was a cold, snowy night that Courtland came down to the city and took
the Western express for his holiday.

There was snow, deep, vast, glistening, when he arrived at Sloan's
Station on the second morning, but the sun was out, and nothing could be
more dazzling than the scene that stretched on every side. They had come
through a blizzard and left it traveling eastward at a rapid rate.

Courtland was surprised to find Father Marshall waiting for him on the
platform, in a great buffalo-skin overcoat, beaver cap, and gloves. He
carried a duplicate coat which he offered to Courtland as soon as the
greetings were over.

"Here, put this on; you'll need it," he said, heartily, holding out the
coat. "It was Steve's. I guess it'll fit you. Mother and Bonnie's over
here, waiting. They couldn't stand it without coming along. I guess you
won't mind the ride, will you, after them stuffy cars? It's a beauty
day!"

And there were Mother Marshall and Bonnie, swathed to the chin in rugs
and shawls and furs, looking like two red-cheeked cherubs!

Bonnie was wearing a soft wool cap and scarf of knitted gray and white.
Her cheeks glowed like roses; her eyes were two stars for brightness.
Her gold hair rippled out beneath the cap and caught the sunshine all
around her face.

Courtland stood still and gazed at her in wonder and admiration. Was
this the sad, pale girl he had sent West to save her life? Why, she was
a beauty, and she looked as if she had never been ill in her life! He
could scarcely bear to take his eyes from her face long enough to get
into the front seat with Father Marshall.

As for Mother Marshall, nothing could be more satisfactory than the way
she looked like her picture, with those calm, peaceful eyes and that
tendency to a dimple in her cheek where a smile would naturally come.
Apple-cheeked, silver-haired, and plump. She was just ideal!

That was a gay ride they had, all talking and laughing excitedly in
their happiness at being together. It was so good to Mother Marshall to
see another pair of strong young shoulders there beside Father on the
front seat again!

It was Mother Marshall who took him up to Stephen's room herself when
they reached the nice old rambling farm-house set in the wide, whit