busy with my work, so you will
understand if my letters come less frequently,
won't you? And you will be too busy with your own
happiness to bother with an old professor any more
anyhow. I have enjoyed our friendship very
much,--more than you will ever know,--and I want
once more to hope you may be the happiest woman in
the world. You deserve to be.

"Very sincerely your friend,

"DAVID A. DUKE."

Carol lay down on the bed and crushed the letter ecstatically between
her hands. Then she burst out laughing. Then she cried a little,
nervously, and laughed again. Then she smoothed the letter
affectionately, and curled up on the bed with a pad of paper and her
father's fountain-pen to answer the letter.

"My dear Mr. Duke: However in the world could you
make such a mistake. I've been laughing ever
since I got your letter, but I'm vexed too. He's
nice, all right; he's just fine, but I don't want
him! And think how annoyed Lark would be if she
could see it. I am not engaged to Jim
Forrest,--nor to any one. It's Lark. I certainly
didn't say it was I, did I? We're all so fond of
Jim that it really is a pleasure to the whole
family to count him one of us, and Lark grows more
deliriously joyful all the time. But I! I know
you're awfully busy, of course, and I hate to
intrude, but you must write one little postal card
to apologize for your error, and I'll understand
how hard you are working when you do not write
again.

"Hastily, but always sincerely,

"CAROL."

Carol jumped up and caught up her hat and rushed all the way down-town
to the post-office to get that letter started for Danville, Illinois,
where the Reverend Mr. Duke was located. Her face was so radiant, and
her eyes were so heavenly blue, and so sparkling bright, that people on
the street turned to look after her admiringly.

She was feverishly impatient until the answer arrived, and was not at
all surprised that it came under special delivery stamp, though Lark
lifted her eyebrows quizzically, and Aunt Grace smiled suggestively, and
her father looked up with sudden questioning in his face. Carol m