she said, and handed it to Nan.

The girl excused herself and hastened indoors to read it. A moment
later she called to Ruth.

"It may be news from home," surmised Helen. "I hope it's nothing
serious. Her father is away; has been for two years or more. I
believe they expect him home this fall," and then she and Alice fell to
talking of other things and Helen was just wishing Carl could see her
friend in this mood, and know how womanly and sensible she could be
when suddenly they both stopped talking at the sight of a man's figure
coming up the long pathway from the outer road.

"Who can it be?" whispered Helen.

"A tramp?" suggested Miss Webster.

"No. A tramp wouldn't come straight up to the house. It must be a
caller; possibly a friend of Carl's," murmured Helen.

The stranger came directly toward the veranda, but at the steps he
paused a moment as though embarrassed at sight of the two girls
unexpectedly rising to meet him from out of the shadow.

"Is Mr. Andrews in?" he asked, in a low, shy voice, and Helen said she
was sorry, but neither her father nor brother were at home. To which
did he refer?

"To Mr. Carl Andrews," and then it was explained that he and Mr. Carl
Andrews were great chums. They--

"Won't you take a seat," asked Helen, hospitably, and he accepted at
once while she introduced Miss Webster and herself and he gave his name
as Chester Newcomb.

"Oh, yes; I've often heard Carl speak of you," declared Helen, and then
she had to excuse herself to answer Ruth who was calling to her
vociferously from upstairs.

"I'm afraid Nan has had bad news," she said, anxiously. "Excuse me,
please. I'll go and see what she wants and be back directly."

Mr. Newcomb and Miss Webster fell at once into an easy chat. That is,
Miss Webster did. She rattled on in her least attractive manner, and
became so absorbed that she only noticed how long Helen had been absent
when Mr. Newcomb rose to go and she had not yet returned.

"Pray don't call her," he entreated. "She probably is very much
engaged. I--I am spending a couple of weeks here and shall be charmed
to come again if I may."

Miss Webster could only in turn assure him that she--that Helen and she
would also be charmed, and then he bowed himself off, striding down the
path with a free, somewhat boyish swing, and disappearing at length in
the shadow of the shrubbery.

He came frequently after that and the girls began to chaff Miss Webster