s all right, Kate," she said. "Bluebeard's chamber doesn't
interest me--to-day."

Kate started up at the other's depressed tone. She looked sharply into
the gray eyes, in which there was no longer any sign of their usual
laughter.

"What's the matter, dear?" she asked, with affectionate concern. "Mrs.
John?"

Helen nodded. Then at once she shook her head.

"Yes--no. Oh, I don't know. No, I don't think it's Mrs. John.
It's--it's everybody."

Kate had moved to the head of the table, and stood with her hands
gripping the back of her chair.

"Everybody?" she said, with a quiet look of understanding in her big
eyes. "You mean--the tree?"

Helen nodded. She was very near tears.

But Kate rose to the occasion. She knew. She pointed at Helen's chair.

"Sit down, dear. We'll have food," she said, quietly. "I'm as hungry
as any coyote."

Helen obeyed. She was feeling so miserable for her sister, that she
had lost all inclination to eat. But Kate seemed to have entirely
risen above any of the feelings she had so lately displayed. She
laughed, and, with gentle insistence, forced the other to eat her
dinner. Strangely enough her manner had become that which Helen seemed
to have lost sight of for so long. All her actions, all her words,
were full of confident assurance, and quiet command.

Gradually, under this new influence, the anxiety began to die out
of Helen's eyes, and the watchful Kate beheld the change with
satisfaction. Then, when the girl had done full justice to the
simple meal, she pushed her own plate aside, planted her elbows
upon the table, and sat with her strong brown hands clasped.

"Now tell me," she commanded gently.

In a moment Helen's anxiety returned, and her lips trembled. The next
she was telling her story--in a confused sort of rush.

"Oh, I don't know," she cried. "It's--it's too bad. You see, Kate, I
didn't sort of think about it, or trouble anything, until you let me
know how you felt over that--that old story. It didn't seem to me that
old tree mattered at all. It didn't seem to me it could hurt cutting
it down, any more than any other. And now--now it just seems as if--as
if the world'll come to an end when they cut it down. I believe I'm
more frightened than you are."

"Frightened?"

Kate smiled. But the smile scarcely disguised her true feelings.

"Yes, I'm scared--to death--now," Helen went on, "because they're
going to cut it down. They've fixed the time and--day."

"They'v