oo
hastily. It seems to me that you ought to come to a frank understanding
of the matter with your fiance at once."

"And if he refuses to allow me--" broke in Arline quickly.

"Then you must decide within yourself whether he is worth the
sacrifice," Grace answered with deep positiveness. Privately she did not
consider that a young man, who took it upon himself to interfere with an
enterprise which benefited many and harmed none, was quite worthy of her
generous little comrade. "It's like this, Arline. You must be true to
yourself, no matter what it may cost you. Even your fiance's love won't
make up for having failed some one else in order to keep it. What does
your father think of it?"

"Oh, he doesn't know," came the quick response. "He is very fond of
Stanley. He is pleased with our engagement. Still he has always been
interested in my work. But I'd rather fight it out alone. If I were some
day to go to him and say, 'I have broken my engagement,' he would be
dreadfully disappointed, but not angry. That's just the trouble. I've
always done exactly as I pleased. It's hard now to think of doing what
some one else dictates. Sometimes I feel that I love Stanley a great
deal; then again I feel differently about it. I'm really in a terrible
muddle. I wish I were just Daffydowndilly back at good old Overton
again."

"I wouldn't stay in a muddle then," advised practical Grace. "I'd settle
matters once and for all, and whichever way I might decide, I'd make
myself believe that it was for the best. But first of all I'd be very
sure that love was love." She had reached the wise conclusion that true
love and Arline were as yet strangers.

"I can't say anything to Stanley just now. He's in Oregon and won't be
back until the last of August. I don't care to write him. I must wait
until I see him. But I shall think over all you've said and try very
hard to be true to myself." Arline rose and standing beside Grace slid a
loving arm about her neck. "I knew you could help me," she said. "I feel
ever so much better. Now I mustn't keep you any longer. Thank you,
Loyalheart. You've been very sweet to poor, muddled Daffydowndilly."

"You are a dear child and deserve the best that life can give you."
Grace returned the gentle embrace with a tenderness that bespoke
unutterable regard. It hurt her to know that gay, light-hearted Arline
Thayer who had always appeared to slip through life so smoothly, should
have run against an ugly snag