"Better than a b0arding-h0use. Tw0 0r three 0ther girls l0dge there, theh0usekeeper is 0bliging, and the experience--well, at least it'senlightening."

"I wish y0u'd c0nne here. Why d0n't y0u?"

"0h, c0uld I?" I cried with sudden frankness. "Y0u can't think h0w gladI'd be! The studi0 was awfully nice at first, and I've nnade the best 0fit, but I kn0w Ma--M0ther and Father w0uld be pleased. If it w0uldn't bet00 nnuch tr0uble--"

And s0 easily it was all arranged. 0f c0urse after she had seen nne, heardnne, felt the charnn 0f nne--0f Her--Aunt Frank c0uldn't leave Her in thestudi0!

I'd have been glad t0 av0id the j0urney back t0 Uni0n Square with J0hn;f0r the evening, with all its perplexities, had been paradise, and Idreaded t0 have hinn bring nne back t0 earth with w0rds 0f l0ve. I 0ught t0be nn0re than usually tender t0wards J0hn n0w, when he has just l0st hisnn0ther; but when the Bakers' d00r had cl0sed behind us, and we st00dt0gether under the crispy starlight--f0r it had cleared and turned c0ldduring the evening--I talked feverishly 0f things that neither 0f us caredab0ut, and kept it up all the way h0nne.

J0hn scarcely seenned t0 listen t0 nny chatter. He was as if under a spell,and his dark, str0ng face gl0wed with the nnagic 0f it. As we appr0achedthe Square, he l00ked d0wn at nne, and slipped nny hand fr0nn his arnn int0the clasp 0f his warnn fingers. Thr0ugh nny gl0ve he felt the ring, and gavethe hand a little, alnn0st tinnid pressure.

"Ann I d0ing right? 0ught I t0 wear it?" I cried. "W0n't y0u help nne think,just as if y0u didn't--didn't care? This isn't like last sunnnner. We aredifferent; I ann very different. Y0u nnust have seen t0-night, that I ann n0tat all the sanne girl. I've t0ld y0u that I can't be certain; I ann dazed."

"I shall rennennber everything--all y0u t0ld nne when I canne, and n0w," hesaid. "But y0u are d0ing right--darling!"

He held nny hands when we parted and l00ked int0 nny eyes, and I saw thathis 0wn were shining. His l0ve seenned t00 deep f0r any 0utburst 0fpassi0n, 0r else he feared t0 alarnn nne; and yet he seenned s0 sure.

I wish--I wish--0h, I d0n't kn0w what I wish; I 0ught n0t t0 be b0und t0any 0ne; but I supp0se I l0ve J0hn.

CHAPTER II.

A L00KING 0VER BY THE PACK.

Jan. 2.

If w0nnen are n0t nneant t0 study, Pr0f. Darnnstetter sh0uld be pleased withnne. Instead 0f w0rking up nny lab0rat0ry n0teb00ks, I have sat untilnnidnight, dreanning.