and then heard the front door open and shut again, and
slow steps go down the brick terrace and out to the sidewalk.

What passed in that interview no one ever knew. Julia Cloud came to
the foot of the stairs, and called them down, and her eyes were
shining and confident as she sat by the lamp and sewed while they
studied and joked in front of the fire; but the unwelcome guest came
no more, and whenever they met him in the street, or at receptions, or
passing at a college game, he gave them a distant, pleasant bow; that
was all. Julia Cloud had done the work well, however she had done it.
The little Bowmans need not look to her to fill their mother's place,
for she was not so minded.

Meantime, the winter had been going on, and the little pink-and-white
house was becoming popular among the students at college as well as
among the members of the Christian Endeavor Society of the little
brick church. Many an evening specially picked groups of girls or boys
or both spent before that fire, playing games, and talking, and
singing. Sometimes the college glee-club came down and had dinner.
Again it was the football team that was feasted. Another time
Allison's frat came for his birthday, aided and abetted by his sister
and aunt.

Jane Bristol became a frequent visitor, though not so frequent as they
would have liked to have her, for her time was very much taken up with
her work and her studies. Julia Cloud often wished she might lift the
financial burden from the young shoulders and make things easier for
her, both for her own sake and Leslie's, who would have liked to make
her her constant companion; but Jane Bristol was too independent to
let anybody help her, and there seemed no way to do anything about it.
Meantime, Myrtle Villers improved each idle hour, and kept Leslie busy
inventing excuses to get away from her, and Julia Cloud busy worrying.
Leslie was so dear, but she was also self-willed. And she would go off
with that wild girl in the car for long rides. Not that Julia Cloud
worried about the driving; for Leslie was most careful, and handled a
car as if she had been born with the knowledge, as indeed she did all
things athletic; but her aunt distrusted the other girl.

And then one clear, cold afternoon in December Leslie went off for a
ride in the car with Myrtle. Of course Julia Cloud did not know that
the girl had pestered the life out of Leslie for the ride, and had
finally promised that, if she would go, sh