* * *

In the difficult days which followed she found Sarah Farraday the most
rebellious. Miss Vail had a little creed or philosophy which was as plump
and comfortable as she was herself, and which had helped to make her,
Jane considered, the world's most satisfactory maiden aunt, and after a
few tears and those briskly winked away, she was able to be sure that her
dear girl knew best what was best for herself, _much_ as she would miss
her, _empty_ as the house would be without her. Nannie Slade Hunter,
though she disapproved, was too deeply engulfed in the real business of
life to be much concerned over the vagaries of a just-about-to-be-engaged
girl, and Martin Wetherby, coached, Jane knew, by the sapient father of
the Teddy-bear, was presently able to translate her exodus into something
very soothing to his own piece of mind. Jane could watch his mental
processes as easily as she could watch the activities of a goldfish in a
glass globe; he was concluding that it was the regular old startled fawn
stuff ... he _had_ been rushing her pretty hard ... better let her have a
little time ... play around with this writing game. He'd be Asst. Cashier
(that was the way he visualized it) the first of the year, and that would
be a great time to get things settled.

But Sarah, in the burlapped studio, between piano pupils, was aghast and
bitter. "'Going to seek your fortune!' I never heard anything so absurd,
Jane! You've got more than most girls right now,--a hundred dollars a
month of your very own to do just what you like with, and when your Aunt
Lydia--is taken from you, you'll have that adorable old house, jammed
full of rosewood and mahogany and willow pattern ware!" Wrath rose and
throve in her. "I've sometimes--I'm ashamed to admit it, but it's the
truth--I've sometimes envied you your advantages, Jane,--going away to
that wonderful school, and six months in Europe after you graduated--but
if the result has been to make you dissatisfied with your own home and
your own friends"--she was crying now--"why, then I'm thankful I've
always stayed here, and never known or wanted anything different!"

Jane crossed over to her and put penitent arms about her, and at the
touch Sarah began to cry in earnest.

"Oh, _Jane_! I can't stand it! I can't have you go away! Jane,--for you
to _go away_----"

"Oh, Sally dear," said Jane, patting her, "it isn't really going
away,--geography doesn't matter! It's just--go