nick of time to find our guardian and
fall in love with her, worse luck," and Lucile vindictively kicked a
stone from the path as though it were the meddling Mr. Wescott himself.
"And then to think he should like Jim, a poor little country boy, well
enough to take him along with him to the city, where he could make
something of himself."

"Well, all I have to say is that there's no one I'd rather see get along
than Jim. I liked him the first minute I saw him, and he sure does
improve on acquaintance--the longer you know him, the more you like him.
He deserves everything he gets," and Phil's face glowed with boyish
enthusiasm.

"That's the way we all felt," said Lucile with equal earnestness, while
Evelyn could not repress a chuckle at the memory of their first meeting
with Jim. "Has he anything else to say?"

"Only one thing," answered Phil, mysteriously.

"What is it?" the girls demanded in chorus.

"Hurry up, please, Phil," Jessie pleaded.

"Certainly, anything for you," Phil returned gallantly. "Why, he just
states that Mr. and Mrs. Wescott----"

"Miss Howland!" cried Evelyn.

"Miss Howland that was," corrected Phil; "Mrs. Wescott that is."

"What difference does it make?" cried Lucile, impatiently. "What about
her--is she sick?"

At the suggestion the girls grew pale.

"Not quite as bad as that," teased Phil, enjoying the sensation his news
was making and bent on prolonging it to the last extreme.

"Not quite? Oh, Phil, what do you mean?" cried Jessie, imploringly.

Anxiety and alarm showed so plainly on the girls' white faces that Phil
suddenly relented.

"Don't get scared," he continued, elegantly. "Your guardian isn't sick.
If she were, I guess she wouldn't be making plans for visiting
Burleigh."

"Is that the truth?" Lucile demanded, seizing her brother's arm. "Don't
play any more tricks, Phil," she pleaded. "It means an awful lot to us,
you know, if Miss--Mrs. Wescott is coming."

"Oh, that's on the level all right," Phil answered with evident
sincerity. "She just made up her mind a little while ago and Jim thinks
she will probably write to you girls about it."

"Oh, just think, we are really going to see her again after six months,"
Jessie exclaimed, joyfully.

"And we'll give her a reception she will never forget," Lucile decided.

"All right; I'm with you," Phil shouted, and was off to join a crowd of
the fellows on the other side of the street.

"Don't forget we eat soon," Lucile