Taken by surprise, the look which illuminated Mrs. Ware's face for a
moment showed more plainly than she had intended Mary to know, how much
it had cost her to consent to her going away. After that if there were
times when Mary was tempted to pity herself and look upon that decision
as a great sacrifice, one thought of her mother's happy face and the
glad little cry that had welcomed her announcement, immediately
dispelled any martyr-like feeling.

"Such good news rests me more than any amount of sleep can do," declared
Mrs. Ware, as she slipped into her kimono and drew down the window
shades. "You don't know how the dread of having to give you up has hung
over me. Every time that you've gone to the post-office since last
October I've been afraid to see you come home--afraid that you were
bringing some summons that would take you away."

"Why, mamma!" cried Mary, surprised to see that there were tears in her
eyes, "I didn't dream that you felt _that_ way about it. Why didn't you
tell me?"

"Because I knew that you'd stay if I asked it, and I _couldn't_ block
the road in which you were sure you would find your highest good, just
for my own selfish pleasure. Oh, you don't know," she added, with a
wistfulness which brought a choke to Mary's throat, "what a comfort
you've been to me, ever since the day you came back from school, after
Jack's accident. You've always been a comfort--but since that time it's
been in a different way. I've _leaned_ on you so!"

Deeply touched past all words, Mary's only answer was a kiss and an
impulsive hug, before she turned away to hide her happy tears. All
afternoon as she sat and sewed, the words sang themselves over and over
in her heart: "You've always been a comfort," and she began planning
many things to keep them true. She would do something to stir up a
social spirit among her mother's small circle of friends; start a club,
perhaps, have readings and teas and old-fashioned quilting bees; even a
masquerade party now and then. _Anything_ to give an air of gaiety to
the colorless monotony of the workaday life of Lone-Rock. So with her
energies turned into a new channel she at once set to work vigorously
mapping out a campaign to be put into effect as soon as Mrs. Downs
should be once more on her feet.

It was a happy day when Mrs. Ware came home saying that her services
were no longer needed. The family could manage without her, now that a
sister had come up from Phoenix to help the