rgiving　and　big；　so　please　be　at　home　the　next　time　I　come　to　see　you；　and　we　will　perform　a　surgical　operation　upon　Time　and　amputate　five　months。
  Do　you　remember　the　Sunday　afternoon　we　ran　away；　and　what　a　nice　time　we　had？　　It　is　now　the　day　after　that。
  SALLIE　McBRIDE。
  P。S。　　If　I　condescend　to　call　upon　you　again；　please　condescend　to　see　me；　for　I　assure　you　I　won't　try　more　than　once！　　Also；　I　assure　you　that　I　won't　drip　tears　on　your　counterpane　or　try　to　kiss　your　hand；　as　I　hear　one　admiring　lady　did。
  THE　JOHN　GRIER　HOME；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Thursday。　Dear　Enemy：
  You　see；　I'm　feeling　very　friendly　toward　you　this　moment。　　When　I　call　you　〃MacRae〃　I　don't　like　you；　and　when　I　call　you　〃Enemy〃　I　do。
  Sadie　Kate　delivered　your　note　（as　an　afterthought）。　　And　it's　a　very　creditable　production　for　a　left…handed　man；　I　thought　at　first　glance　it　was　from　Punch。
  You　may　expect　me　tomorrow　at　four；　and　mind　you're　awake！　　I'm　glad　that　you　think　we're　friends。　　Really；　I　feel　that　I've　got　back　something　quite　precious　which　I　had　carelessly　mislaid。
  S。　McB。
  P。S。　　Java　caught　cold　the　night　of　the　fire　and　he　has　the　toothache。　　He　sits　and　holds　his　cheek　like　a　poor　little　kiddie。
  Thursday；　January　29。　Dear　Judy：
  Those　must　have　been　ten　terribly　incoherent　pages　I　dashed　off　to　you　last　week。　　Did　you　respect　my　command　to　destroy　that　letter？　　I　should　not　care　to　have　it　appear　in　my　collected　correspondence。　　I　know　that　my　state　of　mind　is　disgraceful；　shocking；　scandalous；　but　one　really　can't　help　the　way　one　feels。　　It　is　usually　considered　a　pleasant　sensation　to　be　engaged；　but；　oh；　it　is　nothing　compared　with　the　wonderful　untrammeled；　joyous；　free　sensation　of　being　unengaged！　　I　have　had　a　terribly　unstable　feeling　these　last　few　months；　and　now　at　last　I　am　settled。　　No　one　ever　looked　forward　to　spinsterhood　more　thankfully　than　I。
  Our　fire；　I　have　come　to　believe；　was　providential。　　It　was　sent　from　heaven　to　clear　the　way　for　a　new　John　Grier。　　We　are　already　deep　in　plans　for　cottages。　　I　favor　gray　stucco；　Betsy　leans　to　brick；　and　Percy；　half…timber。　　I　don't　know　what　our　poor　doctor　would　prefer；　olive　green　with　a　mansard　roof　appears　to　be　his　taste。
  With　ten　different　kitchens　to　practice　in；　won't　our　children　learn　how　to　cook！　　I　am　already　looking　about　for　ten　loving　house　mothers　to　put　in　charge。　　I　think；　in　fact；　I'll　search　for　eleven；　in　order　to　have　one　for　Sandy。　　He's　as　pathetically　in　need　of　a　little　mothering　as　any；　of　the　chicks。
  It　must　be　pretty　dispiriting　to　come　home　every　night　to　the　ministrations　of　Mrs。　McGur…rk。
  How　I　do　not　like　that　woman！　　She　has　with　complacent　firmness　told　me　four　different　times　that　the　dochther　was　ashleep　and　not　wantin'　to　be　disturbed。　　I　haven't　set　eyes　on　him　yet；　and　I　have　just　about　finished　being　polite。　　However；　I　waive　judgment　until　tomorrow　at　four；　when　I　am　to　pay　a　short；　unexciting　call　of　half　an　hour。　　He　made　the　appointment　himself；　and　if　she　tells　me　again　that　he　is　ashleep；　I　shall　give　her　a　gentle　push　and　tip　her　over　（she's　very　fat　and　unstable）　and；　planting　a　foot　firmly　on　her　stomach；　pursue　my　way　tranquilly　in　and　up。　　Luellen；　formerly　chauffeur；　chambermaid；　and　gardener；　is　now　also　trained　nurse。　　I　am　eager　to　see　how　he　looks　in　a　white　cap　and　apron。
  The　mail　has　just　come；　with　a　letter　from　Mrs。　Bretland；　telling　how　happy　they　are　to　have　the　children。　　She　inclosed　their　first　photographall　packed　in　a　governess　cart；　with　Clifford　proudly　holding　the　reins；　and　a　groom　at　the　pony's　head。　　How　is　that　for　three　late　inmates　of　the　John　Grier　Home？
  It's　all　very　inspiring　when　I　think　of　their　futures；　but　a　trifle　sad　when　I　remember　their　poor　father；　and　how　he　worked　himself　to　death　for　those　three　chicks　who　are　going　to　forget　him。　　The　Bretlands　will　do　their　best　to　accomplish　that。　　They　are　jealous　of　any　outside　influence　and　want　to　make　the　babies　wholly　theirs。　　After　all；　I　think　the　natural　way　is　bestfor　each　family　to　produce　its　own　children；　and　keep　them。
  Friday。
  I　saw　the　doctor　today。　　He's　a　pathetic　sight；　consisting　mostly　of　bandages。　　Somehow　or　other　we　got　our　misunderstandings　all　made　up。　　Isn't　it　dreadful　the　way　two　human　beings；　both　endowed　with　fair　powers　of　speech；　can　manage　to　convey　nothing　of　their　psychological　processes　to　each　other？
  I　haven't　understood　his　mental　attitude　from　the　first；　and　he　even　yet　doesn't　understand　mine。　　This　grim　reticence　that　we　Northern　people　struggle　so　hard　to　maintain！　　I　don't　know　after　all　but　that　the　excitable　Southern　safety　valve　method　is　the　best。
  But；　Judy；　such　a　dreadful　thingdo　you　remember　last　year　when　he　visited　that　psychopathic　institution；　and　stayed　ten　days；　and　I　made　such　a　silly　fuss　about　it？　　Oh；　my　dear；　the　impossible　things　I　do！　　He　went　to　attend　his　wife's　funeral。　　She　died　there　in　the　institution。　　Mrs。　McGurk　knew　it　all　the　time；　and　might　have　added　it　to　the　rest　of　her　news；　but　she　didn't。
  He　told　me　all　about　her；　very　sweetly。　　The　poor　man　for　years　and　years　has　undergone　a　terrible　strain；　and　I　fancy　her　death　is　a　blessed　relief。　　He　confesses　that　he　knew　at　the　time　of　his　marriage　that　he　ought　not　to　marry　her；　he　knew　all　about　her　nervous　instability；　but　he　thought；　being　a　doctor；　that　he　could　overcome　it；　and　she　was　beautiful！　　He　gave　up　his　city　practice　and　came　to　the　country　on　her　account。　　And　then　after　the　little　girl's　birth　she　went　all　to　pieces；　and　he　had　to　〃put　her　away；〃　to　use　Mrs。　McGurk's　phrase。　　The　child　is　six　now；　a　sweet；　lovely　little　thing　to　look　at；　but；　I　judge　from　what　he　said；　quite　abnormal。　　He　has　a　trained　nurse　with　her　always。　　Just　think　of　all　that　tragedy　looming　over　our　poor　patient　good　doctor；　for　he　is　patient；　despite　being　the　most　impatient　man　that　ever　lived！
  Thank　Jervis　for　his　letter。　　He's　a　dear　man；　and　I'm　glad　to　see　him　getting　his　deserts。　　What　fun　we　are　going　to　have　when　you　get　back　to　Shadywell；　and　we　lay　our　plans　for　a　new　John　Grier！　　I　feel　as　though　I　had　spent　this　past　year　learning；　and　am　now　just　ready　to　begin。　　We'll　turn　this　into　the　nicest　orphan　asylum　that　ever　lived。　　I'm　so　absurdly　happy　at　the　prospect　that　I　start　in　the　morning　with　a　spring；　and　go　about　my　various　businesses　singing　inside。
  The　John　Grier　Home　sends　its　blessing　to　the　two　best　friends　it　ever　had！
  ADDIO！
  SALLIE。
  THE　JOHN　GRIER　HOME；
  Saturday　at　half…past　six　in　the　morning！
  My　dearest　Enemy：
  〃Some　day　soon　something　nice　is　going　to　happen。〃
  Weren't　you　surprised　when　you　woke　up　this　morning　and　remembered　the　truth？　　I　was！　　I　couldn't　think　for　about　two　minutes　what　made　me　so　happy。
  It's　not　light　yet；　but　I'm　wide　awake　and　excited　and　having　to　write　to　you。　　I　shall　despatch　this　note　by　the　first　to…be…　trusted　little　orphan　who　appears；　and　it　will　go　up　on　your　breakfast　tray　along　with　your　oatmeal。
  I　shall　follow　VERY　PROMPTLY　at　four　o'clock　this　afternoon。　　Do　you　think　Mrs。　McGurk　will　ever　countenance　the　scandal　if　I　stay　two　hours；　and　no　orphan　for　a　chaperon？
  It　was　in　all　good　faith；　Sandy；　that　I　promised　not　to　kiss　your　hand　or　drip　tears　on　the　counterpane；　but　I'm　afraid　I　did　bothor　worse！　　Positively；　I　didn't　suspect　how　much　I　cared　for　you　till　I　crossed　the　threshold　and　saw　you　propped　up　against　the　pillows；　all　covered　with　bandages；　and　your　hair　singed　off。　　You　are　a　sight！　　If　I　love　you　now；　when　fully　one　third　of　you　is　plaster　of　Paris　and　surgical　dressing；　you　can　imagine　how　I'm　going　to　love　you　when　it's　all　you！
  But　my　dear；　dear　Robin；　what　a　foolish　man　you　are！　　How　should　I　ever　have　dreamed　all　those　months　that　you　were　caring　for　me　when　you　acted　so　abominably　S　C　O　T　C　H？　　With　most　men；　behavior　like　yours　would　not　be　considered　a　mark　of　affection。　　I　wish　you　had　just　given　me　a　glimmering　of　an　idea　of　the　truth；　and　maybe　you　would　have　saved　us　both　a　few　heartaches。
  But　we　mustn't　be　looking　back；　we　must　look　forward　and　be　grateful。　　The　two　happiest　things　in　life　are　going　to　be　ours；　a　FRIENDLY　marriage　and　work　that　we　love。
  Yesterday；　after　leaving　you；　I　walked　back　to　the　asylum　sort　of　dazed。　　I　wanted　to　get　by　myself　and　THINK；　but　instead　of　being　by　myself；　I　had　to　have　Betsy　and　Percy　and　Mrs。　Livermore　for　dinner　（already　invited）　and　then　go　down　and　talk　to　the　children。　　Friday　night…social　evening。　　They　had　a　lot　of　new　records　for　the　victrola；　given　by　Mrs。　Livermore；　and　I　had　to　sit　politely　and　listen　to　them。　　And；　my　dearyou'll　think　this　funnythe　last　thing　they　played　was　〃John　Anderson；　my　jo　John；〃　and　suddenly　I　found　myself　crying！　　I　had　to　snatch　up　the　earnest　orphan　and　hug　her　hard