you know I'll do my best for you, Mother!"

"Tain't likely I'd be here else," said Mrs. Bates, "and tea, Katie. A
cup of good strong hot tea would fix me up about proper, right now."

Kate went to the kitchen and began setting everything she had to eat on
the table. As she worked Polly came flying in the door crying:
"Mother, who has come?" so Kate stepped toward the living room to show
the child to her grandmother and as she advanced she saw a queer thing.
Adam was sitting on his grandmother's lap. Her arms were tight around
him, her face buried in his crisp hair, and he was patting her shoulder
and telling her he would take care of her, while her voice said
distinctly: "Of course you will, birdie!" Then the lad and the old
woman laid their heads together and laughed almost hysterically.

"WELL, IF THAT ISN'T QUICK WORK!" said Kate to herself. Then she
presented Polly, who followed Adam's lead in hugging the stranger first
and looking at her afterward. God bless all little children. Then
Adam ran to tell the second-hand man to come at one o'clock and Dr.
James that he might have the keys at three. They ate hurriedly. Kate
set out what she wished to save; the children carried things to the
wagon; she packed while they ran after their books, and at three
o'clock all of them climbed into the spring wagon, and started to Bates
Corners.

Kate was the last one in. As she climbed on the seat beside her mother
and took the lines, she handed Mrs. Bates a small china mug to hold for
her. It was decorated with a very fat robin and on a banner floating
from its beak was inscribed: "For a Good Girl."

CHAPTER XXI

LIFE'S BOOMERANG

AS THEY drove into Hartley, Mrs. Bates drew forth the deed.

"You are right about the bank being a safe place for this," she said.
"I've had it round the house for two years, and it's a fair nervous
thing to do. I wish I'd a-had sense to put it there and come after you
the day I made it. But there's no use crying over spilt milk, nor
fussin' with the grease spot it makes; salt it down safely now, and
when you get it done, beings as this setting is fairly comfortable,
take time to run into Harding's and pick up some Sunday-school clothes
for the children that will tally up with the rest of their relations';
an' get yourself a cheap frock or two that will spruce you up a bit
till you have time to decide what you really want."

Kate passed the lines to her mother, and climbed fro