de one of them.

"How are you, Jewel?" he asked, as she danced up to him smiling.
Stooping, he lifted her into the side saddle, from whence she beamed
upon him.

"Oh, what fun you're going to have!" she cried.

"I'd like to be sure of that," he answered, his gloved hand on the
pommel.

"What do you mean?" incredulously. "You don't like that automobile
better, do you? They're so--so stubby. I must have a horse, a horse!"
She smoothed and patted her steed lovingly.

"You ought to have--Jewel of the world," he said kindly. "My bad angel!"
he added, looking up quizzically into her eyes, and smiling at the
widening wonder that grew in them.

"Your--what?" she asked, and then Eloise came out in her habit.

"I'm going instead of you," cried the child gayly, "to pay you for
staying away all day."

"Did you miss me?" asked the girl as she shook hands with her escort.

"I tried not to. Anna Belle and I have something to show you in the
ravine." As she spoke, Jewel slid down into the doctor's arms, and stood
on the steps watching while he put Eloise up and mounted himself.

The child's eyes dwelt upon the pair admiringly as they waved their
hands to her and rode away. Little she knew how their hearts were
beating. Mrs. Evringham, watching from an upper window, suspected it.
She felt that this afternoon would end all suspense.

The child gave a wistful sigh as the horses disappeared, and jumping off
the piazza, she wandered around the house toward the stable. There had
been no rules laid down to her since the night of Essex Maid's attack,
and Zeke was always a congenial companion.

As she neared the barn a young fellow left it, laughing. She knew who
he was,--one of the young men Zeke had known in Boston. He had several
times of late come to call on his old chum, for he was out of work.

As he left the barn he saw the child and slouched off to one side,
avoiding her; but she scarcely noticed him, congratulating herself that
Zeke would be alone and ready, as usual, to crack jokes and stories.

The coachman was not in sight as she entered, but she knew she would
find him in the harness room. Its door stood ajar, and as the
child approached she heard a strange sound, as of some one weeping
suppressedly. Sturdily resisting the sudden fear that swept to her
heart, she pushed open the door.

There stood Mrs. Forbes, leaning against a wooden support, her forehead
resting against her clasped hands in a hopeless posture, a