ou will be able to wait for a little more chin
than Miss Caton has. Of course she's a very _nice_ girl and all that."

Bonnell smiled at the carpet.

They talked on for half an hour of mutual friends over cups of tea, and
then he rose to go.

"Eloise will be sorry!" said Mrs. Evringham effusively. "It's such a
long way out here and so difficult for you to get the time. It isn't as
if you could come easily."

"Oh, I have several days here. I'm staying at the Reeves's. Do you know
them?"

"No," returned the lady, trying to conceal that this was a blow.

"It is Mr. Reeves with whom I am going into business, and we are doing
some preliminary work. I shall see Eloise soon. Remember me to her."

"Yes, certainly," replied Mrs. Evringham. She kept a stiff upper lip
until she was alone, and then a troubled line grew in her forehead.

"It will be all right, of course, if things are settled," she thought.
"I can scarcely wait for Eloise to come home."

Jewel had come from the barn straight to her room, where she thought
upon her problem with the aids she loved.

At last she went downstairs to a side door to watch for Zeke as he drove
from the barn on his way to the station to meet Mr. Evringham. As the
horse walked out of the barn she emerged and intercepted the coachman.

Mrs. Forbes at a window saw Zeke stop. She wondered what Jewel was
saying to him, wondered with a humble gratitude novel to her dominating
nature.

"Wait one minute, Zeke," said the child. "I've been wondering whether I
ought to say anything to grandpa."

"If you do I'll lose my place," returned the young fellow; "and I've
never done wrong by the horses yet."

"I know you haven't. God has taken care of you, hasn't he, Zeke? Do you
think it's right for me not to tell grandpa? I've decided that I'll do
whatever you say."

It was the wisdom of the serpent and the harmlessness of the dove. Zeke,
nervously fingering the whip handle, looked down into the guileless face
and mentally vowed never to betray the trust he saw there.

"Then don't tell him, Jewel," he returned rather thickly, for the
fullness in his throat. "You come out to the barn the way you said you
would, and we'll talk over things. I don't care if the boys do laugh.
I've sworn off. I believe you helped Essex Maid the other night. I
believe you can help me."

Jewel's eyes were joyful. "If you know you _want_ help, Zeke, then
you'll get it. Mother says that's the first thing. Mort