t father! Who would raise the girls? Who would keep the parsonage?
Who would look after you?"

"Aunt Grace, to be sure. We talked it over two years ago, when her
husband died. Before that, she was not free to come to us. But she
said then that whenever we were ready for her, she would come. We both
felt that since you were getting along so magnificently with the girls,
it was better that way for a while. But she said that when your
flitting-time came, she would come to us gladly. We had it all
arranged. You won't want to marry for a year or so, yet. You'll want
to have some happy sweetheart days first. And you'll want to make a
lot of those pretty, useless, nonsensical things other girls make when
they marry. That's why I advised you to save your burglar money,--so
you would have it for this. We'll have Aunt Grace come right away, so
you can take a little freedom to be happy, and to make your plans. And
you can initiate Aunt Grace into the mysteries of parsonage
housekeeping."

A bright strange light had flashed over Prudence's face. But her eyes
clouded a little as she asked, "Do you think they would rather have
Aunt Grace than me?"

"Of course not. But what has that to do with it? We love you so
dearly that we can only be happy when you are happy. We love you so
dearly that we can be happy with you away from us,--just knowing that
you are happy. But you--you thought our love was such a hideous,
selfish, little make-believe that----"

"Oh, father, I didn't! You know I didn't!--But--maybe Jerry won't
forgive me now?"

"Why didn't you talk it over with me, Prudence?"

"I knew you too well, father. I knew it would be useless.
But--doesn't it seem wrong, father, that--a girl--that I--should love
Jerry more than--you and the girls? That he should come first?
Doesn't it seem--wicked?"

"No, Prudence, it is not wicked. After all, perhaps it is not a
stronger and deeper love. You were willing to sacrifice him and
yourself, for our sakes! But it is a different love. It is the love
of woman for man,--that is very different from sister-love and
father-love. And it is right. And it is beautiful."

"I am sure Jerry will forgive me. Maybe if you will send me a paper
and pencil--I can write him a note now? There's no use waiting, is
there? Fairy will bring it, I am sure."

But when a few minutes later, she heard a step in the hall outside, she
laid her arm across her face. Somehow she felt