om.
Was it possible that Miriam, her little girl of yesterday, had actually
stepped out on the highway of married life? And Grace Harlowe, the
care-free torn-boy who had run races and flown kites with David, was now
a tragic-eyed young woman from whose hand fate had roughly snatched the
cup of happiness. There were Nora and Hippy, too, a veritable Darby and
Joan, despite their love for playful squabbling. Could it be that these
alert, self-reliant young men and women were once the children who had
romped and frisked about on her lawn, or played house under the tall
hollyhocks in the garden?

"You are tired out, Mrs. Nesbit," suggested Grace with concern. She had
noted the brooding light in the older woman's gentle face and quickly
attributed the cause. "I think it is time to sound taps. We can continue
our session in the morning, can't we, Fairy Godmother?"

"Yes. I am not nearly as young as I wish I were. This trouble about Tom
has made me realize it," returned Mrs. Gray somberly. "But Elfreda has
given us a valuable piece of advice. I am inclined to hope with Grace
that we have reached the beginning of the end of our weary waiting."

"I've a favor to ask of you," stated Elfreda mysteriously, when, a
little later, she and Grace entered the sleeping room which they were to
occupy together.

"It is granted." Grace passed an affectionate arm about Elfreda's plump
shoulders.

"All right. I don't need to ask, then. I'll just remark that I'm going
home with you to Oakdale."

"Elfreda!" Grace brought both arms into play in an energetic hug of the
stout girl. "Will you truly come home with me!"

"I will," asserted Elfreda.

"But what about your work?"

"Let the law take its course--without me," was the unconcerned response.
"I wouldn't miss seeing old Jean for anything. But that's not my reason
for inviting myself to go home with you. I can see that you need a
comforter. Do I get the job?"

"You do," laughed Grace, but the laugh ended in a sob against Elfreda's
shoulder. It had been a trying day for poor Loyalheart and the
inevitable reaction had set in. "You--understand--don't--you?" she
murmured brokenly.

"Yes; I know how brave you've been to-day." Elfreda's soothing tones
were a trifle unsteady, as she added in tender whimsicality, "I could
see."

CHAPTER XVII

FATE

Returned to Oakdale, Grace's first step was toward finding Jean, whose
long residence in the snug cabin in Upton Wood had made him