rther obstacle to her doing so, could not make up her mind to go without
her.

She had talked it over with both Mr. and Mrs. Burgess, but, it must be
confessed, had met with only lukewarm enthusiasm. Furthermore, it was very
late in the day to secure stateroom accommodation upon the steamer by
which Miss Preston would sail, her own and the girls having been engaged
for weeks.

Helen herself said very little, but Miss Preston knew that the girl's
heart had long been set upon going, and this year the route planned took
in the very points she had most wished to visit, and which would prove the
most profitable for her to visit. In desperation, Miss Preston turned to
Mr. Reeve once more, for she had found him a most resourceful man, and one
not likely to be easily baffled.

The result was that he had succeeded in making a mutually agreeable
exchange of staterooms with some other people, and was now primed and
ready to carry the war into the enemy's country.

Soon after luncheon they all drove to Stonybrook, a town about ten miles
from Montcliff, and Helen's home. Evidently their persuasive powers were
strong, for ere the visit ended it was decided that Helen should make one
of Miss Preston's party to sail with her "over the ocean blue," and some
very happy people drove back to Montcliff that afternoon.

The house seemed very quiet after the girls' departure for their homes on
the day following commencement, for, excepting those who lived too far
away to return for the wedding, and would remain as Miss Preston's guests
until after the tenth, all had left that morning, and when a house has
been filled with twenty-five or thirty girls, and all but eight or ten
suddenly depart from it, the quiet which ensues cannot be overlooked.

Mr. Reeve gave himself up to the enjoyment of his five days' vacation as
only a busy man can, and when I add that he was a very happy man, too, I
need say no more.

The year had been one of many experiences both for him and for Toinette,
and for both was ending far more happily than he had hoped it would. The
future seemed to promise a great deal to them both, for they were growing
to understand each other better every day, and Toinette was developing
into a very lovely, as well as a very lovable, companion. They had planned
a delightful summer vacation, to be spent in travelling leisurely from
place to place, as the fancy took them, and Toinette had suggested nearly
all.

The five days at Mon