h her trousseau, but she SHALL
help us with the work."

"Ye know, lambie," whispered Katy suddenly, "this is a burnin' shame.
The one thing I DIDN'T think about is that book of yours. What about
it?"

"I scarcely know," said Linda; "it's difficult to say. Of course we
can't carry out the plans we had made to work here, exactly as we had
intended, with Eileen in the house preparing to be married. But she
tells me that her uncle has made her a generous allowance, so probably
it's environment and love she is needing much more than help. It is
barely possible, Katy, that after I have watched her a few days, if
I decide she is in genuine, sincere, heart-whole earnest, I might
introduce her and John to my friend, 'Jane.' It is probable that if I
did, Eileen would not expect me to help her, and at the same time she
wouldn't feel that I was acting indifferently because I did not. We'll
wait awhile, Katy, and see whether we skid before we put on the chains."

"What about Marian?" inquired Katy.

"I don't know," said Linda thoughtfully. "If Marian is big enough to
come here and spend the summer under the same roof with Eileen and John
Gilman, and have a really restful, enjoyable time out of it, she is
bigger than I am. Come up to the garret; I think Eileen has brought no
more with her than she took away. We'll bring her trunk down, put it
in her room and lay the keys on top. Don't begin by treating her as a
visitor; treat her as if she were truly my sister. Tell her what you
want and how you want it, exactly as you tell me and as I tell you. If
you see even a suspicion of any of the former objectionable tendencies
popping up, let's check them quick and hard, Katy."

For a week Linda watched Eileen closely. At the end of that time she was
sincere in her conviction that Eileen had been severely chastened. When
she came in contact with Peter Morrison or any other man they met she
was not immediately artificial. She had learned to be as natural with
men as with other women. There were no pretty postures, no softened
vocal modulations, no childish nonsense on subjects upon which
the average child of these days displays the knowledge of the
past-generation grandmother. When they visited Peter Morrison's house it
was easy to see that Eileen was interested, more interested than any
of them ever before had seen her in any subject outside of clothing and
jewels. Her conduct in the Strong home had been irreproachable. She had
cared fo