"The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn:
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in his heaven--
All's right with the world!"

Grace listened with a sinking heart. The joy of Browning's exquisite
lines from "Pippa Passes" cut into her very soul. All was not right with
_her_ world. Everything had gone wrong. She had chosen work instead of
love, and what it brought her? She had believed that in rejecting Tom's
love for her work she had definitely and forever solved her problem. Now
it confronted her afresh. She understood too well the meaning of that
strange fear which had obsessed her ever since her return home. Now she
knew why the memory of Tom had so persistently haunted her, and why her
friendly interest in his welfare had grown to be a heavy anxiety as to
whether all was well with him. Wholly against her will she had done that
which she had insisted she could never do. She had fallen in love with
Tom. But her awakening had come too late. Tom had gone away to forget
her. He would never know that she loved him, for she could never, never
tell him. On the night of Jessica's wedding, when they had strolled up
the walk to the house in the moonlight, he had said with an air of
conviction, which then made her smile, that there would come a time when
even work could not crowd out love. His prophecy had come true, but it
meant nothing to either she or Tom now, for it had come true too late.

CHAPTER XXI

KATHLEEN WEST MAKES A PROMISE

On Grace's return to Overton and Harlowe House from her Easter vacation
she plunged into her work with feverish energy. She wished, if possible,
to free herself of this strange, unbidden love for Tom which seemed to
grow and deepen with every passing day, and which made her utterly
miserable. Then, too, she did not know when the dreaded summons might
come from Miss Wharton, and she longed to do as much as she could for
her girls while the opportunity was yet hers. It was with this spirit
that she entered into the plans for their revue, which was to be given
in Greek Hall, and from the number of tickets already sold promised to
be a sweeping success.

Arline and Elfreda had accepted their invitations with alacrity,
promising to come to Overton several days beforehand for the purpose of
making Grace a visit. The girls who were