father, and still there were hours left to fill. She forced
herself to go to see all her acquaintances, to visit those few who were
ill; there was nobody in want in the whole place, it seemed, in this
summer prosperity of garden.

"There's nothing to do for any one," she said to her father one day. "I
feel guilty times without number because I'm not of more use to the
people about me."

Her father studied her. "Dear," he said slowly, "what you need just now
is something the good Father knows you need, and I believe He will not
deny it to you. In the meantime, remember that simply being cheerful and
patient under enforced waiting is sometimes the greatest service that
can be rendered."

"If you haven't taught me that, it isn't because you haven't illustrated
it every day of your life," she cried--and fled.

In her own room she beat her strong young hands together. "Oh, dear God!"
she said aloud, "if I could only, only have the thing I want, I would
take anything, _anything_ that might go with it and not complain!"

And then, suddenly, one early August night, Mr. Jefferson returned. He
came up the path, bag in hand, and saw a solitary figure standing on the
small front porch, where a latticework sheltered opposing seats. It was
a white figure in the early dusk and it rose as he approached.

"The fortnight is not quite up," said Georgiana quietly. "But I put your
room in order to-day, hoping you would come. My father never missed
anybody so much."

"That sounds very pleasant." He set down his bag and shook hands. "It
makes it the harder to say that I must be off again in the morning.
And--I shall not be coming back. If it had not been that I could not
leave without seeing you and Mr. Warne I should have sent on to ask you
to pack and send my trunk."

"Really? How very unexpected! But I would gladly have sent on the
trunk," said Georgiana. Something cold clutched at her heart.

"Would you? That sounds rather inhospitable! Do you care to hear my
plans?"

"If you care to tell them, Mr. Jefferson."

"I wonder," said he, "if you would be willing to go around to the other
porch and sit there. I have a fancy for being where I can get the scent
from your garden. I shall miss that spicy fragrance. Is your father
still up?"

"He has just gone to bed. He would be very happy if you would go in and
speak to him," said Georgiana.

Mr. Jefferson ran upstairs with his bag, and made a brief call upon Mr.
Warne. Then he cam