d her hands with their choicest bloom Yvonne
privately got a disturbed glance to Corinne that drew the four indoors
again. There the outside quaintness tempted Mrs. Chester at once to a
front window, with Mlle. Yvonne at her side.

The front garden was not as the visitor had seen it shortly before
while entering. She turned silently away, while mademoiselle, as
though surprised, cried to her sister and Mme. De l'Isle: "Ah! Aline
she's arrive'! Mrs. Chezter, 'ow tha'z fortunate for us all!"

So with the other three Mrs. Chester looked out again. Half-way up the
walk stood Aline. Her back was to the house. Cupid was just inside
the gate, and between them, closely confronting her, was a third
figure--Geoffry Chester. The indoor company could see his face, but
not its mood, so dazzling was the low sun behind him; but certainly it
was not gay. Her hand lay in his through some parting speech, but fell
from it as both returned toward the gate. Which Cupid opened--sad
irony--for Chester, and while the child locked him out Aline came
forward wrapped in sunlight.

By steps, as she came, her beauty of form, face, and soul grew on Mrs.
Chester's sight, and when, in the house, with her sunset halo quenched
and her presence more perfectly humanized, her smile and voice crowned
the revelation, it happened as Geoffry had said it would; the mother's
heart went out to her in fond and complete acceptance.

To the four women taking seats with her the laying of a graceful hat
off her dark hair was the dissolving of one lovely picture into another
unmarred by the fact that a letter which she held in her fingers was
the publishers' latest word to Chester. But now, as her own silent
gaze fell on it held in her lap in both hands, so did theirs, till her
fingers shook and she bit her lip. Then--"Never mind to read it,
chere," Mme. De l'Isle said, "juz' tell us. We are prepare' for the
worz'. They want to poz'pone the pewblication, or they don't want to
pay in advanz'?"

Aline lifted so bright a smile through her tears that every heart grew
lighter. "They don't want it at all," she said. "They have sent it
back!"

"Oh-h-h! Impossible!" exclaimed the two sisters, their eyes filling.
"The clerk he's put the wrong letter--letter for another party!"

Aline smiled again. "No; Mr. Chester, he has the manuscript. Ah, you
poor"--again she smiled, biting her lip and wiping her tears. Then she
turned, looked steadfastly into Mrs