ight, but something is troubling her. When I
went to the door to tell her what Anne had done she began to cry. I
couldn't find out what ailed her, and the more I talked the harder she
cried. She said, however, that she couldn't accept Anne's offer. She
thinks she won't come back to Overton."

"Happy Overton," commented Emma unsympathetically. "Now hurry into your
dressing gown and let's begin our letters."

Evelyn appeared at breakfast the next morning looking weary and haggard.
Her face was very pale and her eyes were heavy. By night, however, she
seemed to have regained something of her old poise. Covertly watching
her, Grace noticed that for some unknown reason she was much subdued.
Several days afterward she came to Grace and finally refused Anne's
offer. "But are you quite certain that you are acting wisely, Miss
Ward?" Grace asked in perplexed amazement. "Last winter you were anxious
to go into dramatic work."

"I have changed my mind," was Evelyn's sole reply.

Grace wrote to Anne advising her of Evelyn's refusal, but adding that
she wished Anne would keep Evelyn in mind. "I can't help feeling that
she is acting against her real desires and that later she will realize
her mistake."

The little that was left of April passed quickly. Life went on placidly
enough at Harlowe House, although Grace found few idle moments. With the
first of June she began a detailed report of her year's work to be
presented to the faculty and to Mrs. Gray. This report had not been
required of her. She was making it merely for her own satisfaction. With
her it was a matter of pride in having been a faithful steward. She had
tried to safeguard not only the interests of the girls under her roof,
but Mrs. Gray's interests as well.

"I hope I've been a good house mother," she murmured wistfully, as,
seated in her office one bright Friday afternoon, she worked on her
report. The ring of the postman caused her to lay down her pen and hurry
into the hall. To her surprise she saw Evelyn Ward had forestalled her.
She had opened the door for the postman, and now stood rapidly going
over the pile of letters in her hand. Grace saw her separate two letters
from the pile. At this instant Evelyn glanced up. She uttered a sharp
exclamation of surprise when she saw Grace standing beside her. Two
letters fell from her hands.

Grace stooped to pick them up. "Did I startle you, Miss Ward? I did not
mean to. I did not know you were in the house. I th