ughter shall preside in her mother's place at my table. Jerome,
Mrs. Stewart is to be relieved of this obligation after this meal. You
are to be quite free of all responsibility during your visit with us,
Katherine. And now, little girl, let me look at you. July, August, and,
let me see, twenty-five days of September since I left you? Nearly
three months. You manage to do remarkable things in a brief time,
little daughter. But I fancy by the time I get back here again they will
be more remarkable. Great plans are simmering for you; great plans," and
her father nodded significantly across at her.

Peggy was too happy to even ask what they were. She could only smile and
nod back again.

Meanwhile Mrs. Stewart had used her napkin to scrub off her besmirched
poodle's feet and had then surreptitiously thumped her down upon her lap
where the table-cloth would conceal her. At Captain Stewart's concluding
words she felt her hopes revive a trifle. She was a fair actress when it
served her turn. So now smiling across the table she said:

"So you have decided to consider my suggestion, Neil?"

"In one respect, yes, Katherine. I see plainly that things can no longer
go on as they have been going. Llewellyn concurs in that." He glanced
toward the Doctor, who nodded gravely.

"I do most fully. Our halcyon days must end, I fear, as all such days do
eventually, and we must meet the more prosaic side of life. Let us hope
it will assume a pleasing form. I am loth to hand in my resignation as
Dominie Exactus, however," he ended with a smile for Peggy.

Peggy looked puzzled, and glanced inquiringly from one to the other. Her
father stretched forth a hand and laid it over hers which rested upon
the edge of the table:

"Smooth out the kinks in your forehead, honey. Nothing distressing is to
happen."

"Hardly," agreed Mrs. Stewart. "On the contrary, if your father acts
upon my suggestion something very delightful will be the outcome, I am
sure. I feel intuitively that you approve of my plan regarding the
school, Neil."

Peggy started slightly, and looked at her father. He nodded and smiled
reassuringly, then turning toward his sister-in-law, replied:

"Your letter, Katherine, only served to convince me that Peggy must now
have a broader horizon than Severndale, or even Annapolis affords. Dr.
Llewellyn and I talked it over when I was home over a year ago, and
again last June. When we first discussed it we were about as much at sea