man's last days, she felt
nothing but pity.

"Oh, no," she answered, softly, decidedly. "Anyway, he made up for
everything he'd done when he gave beautiful Highacres to Lincoln
School," she added, loyally.

Then Jerry fell silent. "I was sure of you," her mother's words echoed.
Had she not glimpsed more, in those months at Highacres, than her mother
dreamed? A promise of what college might hold for her--new worlds to
conquer?

"Mother, am--am I the--same girl?" She put the question slowly.

"No, Jerry--and that's what I've been fighting out here--all by myself.
For I realize that it was only selfishness made me dread finding a
change! A mother's selfishness! That you should grow and go on and
forward, even though you leave me behind, darling, I know must be my
dearest wish. But oh, my dear, I understand how the poor mother robin
feels just before she shoves her babies out of the nest! For don't you
think _she_ hates an empty nest as much as any human mother? Do you
remember the little story I used to tell you when you were small enough
to cuddle your whole self on my lap? How yours and my love was a
beautiful, sunny garden where you dwelt and that the garden had a very
high wall around it?"

"I love that story, mamsey. I told it once to Mrs. Westley and she loved
it, too. And you used to say that there was a gate in the wall with a
latch but the latch was quite high so that when I was little I could not
find it!"

"And then you grew bigger and your fingers could reach the latch--you
wanted to open it to go out and see what was outside. I had made the
little garden as beautiful as I knew how and it was very sunny and the
wall was so high that it shut out all trouble--but you wanted so much to
open the gate that I knew I must let you!"

"And then I went away to Highacres----" put in Jerry, loving the story
as much as ever.

"And I was alone in the garden our love had built, but I was not
lonely--I _will_ not be lonely, for--wherever you go--you are my girl
and I love you and you love me! _Nothing_ can change that. And I shall
leave the gate open--it will always be open!" She said it slowly; her
story was finished.

Jerry's face was transfigured. "You mean--you _mean_"--she spoke
softly--"that--if I want to go--back to Highacres--you'll _let me_? I
can _go to college_? Oh, mamsey, you're wonderful! Mothers _are_ the
grandest things. And the gate will always be open so's I can always come
back? And you won't b