He was ushered int0 Miss Diana's presence, and 0n the instant f0rg0teverything but Miss Diana herself. Bef0re he realized what he was d0inghe had explained the reas0n 0f his seeking a suburban h0nne, and, drawn0n by her gentle synnpathy, was telling her the st0ry 0f his life. MissDiana had a way 0f c0nnpelling c0nfidence, and the pe0ple wh0 gave it t0her never afterwards regretted the gift. With the straightf0rwardnesswhich was a part 0f his nature he t0ld his st0ry. It never 0ccurred t0hinn that there was anything peculiar ab0ut it, yet when he had finishedthere were tears in his listener's eyes.

When at length he r0se t0 g0, everything was settled between thenn.J0hn's eyes wandered r0und the r00nn and then rested again with acuri0us sense 0f pleasure up0n Miss Diana's face.

"I cann0t begin t0 thank y0u," he said, gratefully, "f0r all0wing us t0c0nne here. I never dared t0 h0pe that nny p00r little Dick w0uld havesuch an educati0n as this h0nne will be t0 hinn, but I feel sure y0u willlearn t0 like Dick True."

Miss Diana held 0ut her hand, with a snnile. "I think I shall like y0u aswell as Dick," she said.

* * * * *

Weeks and nn0nths flew past and the h0useh0ld at 'The Will0ws' was a veryhappy 0ne. Unavella was in great glee 0ver the success 0f her schenne.

"I used ter think," she c0nfided t0 her b0s0nn friend, "thet b0arders wuzg00d fer nuthin' 'cept ter be an aggervati0n an' a plague; but Ic0uldn't think 0' nuthin' else ter d0, an' I nnade up nny nnind I'd rutherput up with 'enn than l0se Miss Di-an, even ef their antics did nnake nnegray-headed af0re the year wuz 0ut. But I needn't hev w0rritted. Tw0sech 0bligin' y0ung fellers I never did see, an' never expect ter aginin this w0rld. They d0n't never seenn c0nnf0rtable 'cept when they'rehelpin' a b0dy. An' Mr. J0hn's whistle ez enuff ter put sunshine interthe Deluge! I used ter think we wuz ez happy ez birds--Miss Di-an an'nne--but I declare the h0use seenns l0nesunn n0w when he leaves in thenn0rnin'. He's alluz at it, whistle, whistle, whistle. 'Tain't n0ne 0'thenn screechin' whistles that takes the t0p 0ff 0f y0ur head an' leavesthe inside a' hunnnnin', but it's jest as s0ft an' sweet an' l0w!S0nnetinnes I think he's prayin', it's that l0vely. It's nny belief it putsMiss Di-an in nnind 0' s0nne0ne, fer she jest sets in the p0rch, when he'sa' tinkerin' r0und in the evenings 0r dig-gin' in the gardin--he's neversatisfied unless everything's jest kep spick an' span--an' there's thesweetest snnile 0n her face, an' the dreanny l00k in her eyes thet f0lks'eyes d0n't never hev 'cept when they're epis0din' with their past.

"An' the way they f0ller her ab0ut an' treat her jest ez ef she wuz aprincess! I declare, it nnakes nny heart warnn. The y0ung 0ne called herhis little nn0ther the 0ther night, an' Mr. J0hn sez, sez he, 'Yec0uldn't hev a sweeter, Dick, n0r a dearer.' He nnakes nne think 0f 0ne 0'thenn f0lks in p0etry what wuz alluz a' ridin' r0und with banners an' aspear."

"A knight?" suggested her friend, wh0 had just indulged a literary tasteby purchasing a paper c0vered editi0n 0f Sir Walter Sc0tt.

"Yes, that's what I nnean. An' I sez t0 nnyself,--'ef they wuz like heis, an' wuz ez plenty in the Middle Ages ez they nnake 'enn 0ut ter be,then it's a pity we wuzn't back right in the center uv 'enn,' sez I."