haps there _is_ a John Holmes that I forget about," he said to
himself.

X.

LINNET.

"Use me to serve and honor thee,
And let the rest be as thou wilt"--_E.L.E._

Marjorie's laugh was refreshing to the schoolmaster after his hard day's
work. She was standing behind her father, leaning over his shoulder,
and looking at them both as they talked; some word had reminded Mr.
Holmes of the subject of his writing that day and he had given them
something of what he had been reading and writing on Egyptian slavery.
Mr. Holmes was always "writing up" something, and one of Mr. West's
usual questions was: "What have you to tell us about now?"

The subject was intensely interesting to Marjorie, she had but lately
read "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and her tears and indignation were ready to
burst forth at any suggestion of injustice or cruelty. But the thing that
she was laughing at was a quotation from one of the older versions of the
Bible, Roger's Version Mr. Holmes told them when he quoted the passage:
"And the Lord was with Joseph and he was a luckie felowe." She lifted her
head from her father's shoulder and ran out into the little front yard to
find her mother and the others that she might tell them about Joseph and
ask Miss Prudence what "Roger's Version" meant. But her mother was busy
in the milkroom and Linnet was coming towards the house walking slowly
with her eyes on the ground. Will Rheid was walking as slowly toward his
home as Linnet was toward hers.

Miss Prudence made a picture all by herself in her plain black dress,
with no color or ornament save the red rose in her black crape scarf, as
she sat upright in the rush-bottomed, straight-backed chair in the entry
before the wide-open door. Her eyes were towards the two who had parted
so reluctantly on the bridge over the brook. Marjorie danced away to find
her mother, suddenly remembering to ask if she might share the spare
chamber with Miss Prudence, that is--if Linnet did not want to very much.

Marjorie never wanted to do anything that Linnet wanted to very much.

Opening the gate Linnet came in slowly, with her eyes still on the
ground, shut the gate, and stood looking off into space; then becoming
aware of the still figure on the piazza hurried toward it.

Linnet's eyes were stirred with a deeper emotion than had ever moved her
before; Miss Prudence did not remember her own face twenty years ago, but
she remembered her own heart.

Will Rheid was a goo