ess. All
about her shoulders fell a veil of golden hair, and her appealing eyes
glowed in a face at once radiant and timid.

Mrs. Barry started up from her chair.

"Mother!" cried Ben as they approached, "I told you I should bring her
from the stars."

The hostess advanced a step mechanically, Miss Mehitable followed close.
Geraldine gazed fascinated at the tall, regal woman, whose habitually
formal manner took on an additional stiffness.

"This is Miss Melody, I believe." Mrs. Barry held out her smooth, fair
hand. "I hear you have passed through a very trying experience," she
said with cold courtesy. "I am glad you are safe."

The light went out of the girl's eager eyes. The color fled from her
face. She had endured too many extremes of emotion in one day. Miss
Mehitable extended her arms to her with a yearning smile. Geraldine
glided to her and quietly fainted away on that kindly breast.

"Poor lamb, poor lamb," murmured Miss Mehitable, and Ben, frowning,
exclaimed: "Here, let me take her!"

He gathered her up in his arms and carried her into the house and laid
her on a divan, Miss Upton panting after his long strides and his mother
deliberately bringing up the rear. Mrs. Barry knew just what to do and
she did it, while Miss Upton wrung her hands above the recumbent white
figure. When the long eyelashes flickered on the pallid cheek, Ben spoke
commandingly: "I'll take her upstairs. She must be put to bed."

Miss Mehitable came to herself with a rush. "Not here," she said
decidedly. "If you'll let me have the car, Mrs. Barry, we'll be out of
your way in five minutes."

Ben looked at his mother, who was still cool and unexcited; and the
expression on his face was a new one for her to meet.

"She isn't fit to be moved, Mother, and Miss Upton hasn't room. Miss
Melody is exhausted. She has had a frightful experience," he said
sternly.

If he had appealed she might have been touched, but it is doubtful. The
grass stains, the quaint shawl, the hair that was rippling down to the
rug, were none of them part of her visions of a daughter-in-law, and, at
any rate, Ben shouldn't look at her like that--at her! for the sake of a
friendless waif whose existence he had not suspected one week ago.

Miss Upton, understanding the situation perfectly, saved the hostess the
trouble of replying.

"It won't hurt her a bit to drive as far as my house after she's been
caperin' all over the sky!" she exclaimed, seizing Geraldine