ade no
comment, only ran up to her room and locked the door once more.

"Carol, you awful little scamp, you did that on
purpose, and you know it. You never mentioned
Lark's name. Well, if you wanted to give me the
scare of my life, you certainly succeeded. I
didn't want to lose my little chum, and I knew
very well that no man in his proper senses would
allow his sweetheart to be as good a comrade to
another man as I want you to be to me. Of course I
was disappointed. Of course I expected to be busy
for a while. Of course I failed to see the
sterling worth of Jim Forrest. I see it now,
though. I think he's a prince, and as near worth
being in your family as anybody could be. I'm sure
we'll be great friends, and tell Lark for me that
I am waxing enthusiastic over his good qualities
even to the point of being inarticulate. Tell her
how happy I am over it, a good deal happier than
I've been for the past several days, and I am
wishing them both a world of joy. I'm having one
myself, and I find it well worth having. I could
shake you, Carol, for playing such a trick on me.
I can just see you crouch down and giggle when you
read this. You wait, my lady. My turn is coming. I
think I'll run down to Mount Mark next week to see
my uncle--he's not very well. Don't have any
dates.

"Sincerely, D. D."

And Carol laughed again, and wiped her eyes.

The Reverend Mr. Duke's devotion to his elderly uncle in Mount Mark was
a most beautiful thing to see. Every few weeks he "ran down for a few
days," and if he spent most of his time recounting his uncle's symptoms
before the sympathetic Starrs, no one could be surprised at that. He and
Mr. Starr naturally had much in common, both ministers, and both--at any
rate, he was very devoted to his uncle, and Carol grew up very, very
fast, and smiled a great deal, but laughed much less frequently than in
other days. There was a shy sweetness about her that made her father
watch her anxiously.

"Is Carol sick, Grace?" he asked one day, turning suddenly to his
sister-in-law.

She smiled curiously. "N-no, I think not. Why?"

"She seems very--sweet."

"Yes. She feels very--sweet," was the enig