The S. W. F. Club

one was more surprised at his un

of the years. For the first time, he had allowed himself to face the fact that it was some time now since he had cro

oser acquaintance of these nieces of his. Pauline, in particular, struck him as likely to improve upon a nearer acquaintance. And that af

to run up to Winton the next day. He would not wire

ack, and much plied with information, general and personal, on the

room that night, ostensibly to have an obstinate knot untied, but inwardly determined to make a

ghty glad,"

?" Patience curled herself up in the cozy co

now him-Uncle Paul, I mean-through his letters, and all the lovely thing

t-he doesn't look as if he believed much in fairy stories.

ilary said, "so that must be a family trait; your ch

" Patienc

commanded. "You're losing all your

going to be-some day. Mr. Dayre says he likes red hair, I asked him. He say

e door of her own room. "And you'd better get to bed pretty quickly, too, H

ory-book uncle had come to know his nieces and Winton fairly thoroughly; while they, on their side, had grown very well acquainted w

, stopping for the night at a hotel on the New York shore and returning by the next day's boat. There wa

ing, as she and her uncle waited on the porch for Bedelia and t

er," Pauline added, from j

possibilities?"

e eternally grateful to you for makin

to himself. "I daresay the

ke some people, the longer and better you know the

ted, "that one finds, as a ru

g Bedelia. "Do you know," he said, as he and Hilary turned out i

ay. It isn't much of a b

it serves i

turned Bedelia up the little by-road, leading to the old weather-beaten

are through here?

n this June, if I hadn't

able to go

well, by not following his advice, he'd have to shut up shop, but that, fortunately

marked, adding, "and Pauline co

e've no higher school here and-She read last winter,

e both, or neither, I judge-and the powers that be c

reins. "Oh!" she

ing what I say," her un

I want to-and can't fin

d the higher authori

ow mother could get on

gs-when it means helping their young folks on a bit," Mr. Shaw

h his customary abruptness, "You seem to have fitted in here, Phil,-perhaps, you were i

into the life here; he and his people had grown together. It had not always been smooth sailing and more than once, especially the past year or so, his n

fitted in; too easily, perhaps.

ulating of books," h

that mild ambition. Fortunately, the rarer the opportunity, the greater

from his cigar. "And the girls

elder brother knew of old sou

t you, it is their home and not a had sort of home for a girl to grow up in." Mr. Shaw stood for a moment at the head of the steps, looking off down the peaceful, shadowy street. It had been a pleasant

rs ago," he said presently, "and that eldest daughter of yours-I'm a fair hand at readin

come to thi

you; she would never have writ

ould not have

ike to think now that Pauline only hurried on the inevitable." Mr. Paul Shaw laid his hand on the minister's shoulder

to blame in not trying more persistently to heal the breac

right to allow himself, Phil. But if you like, I'm prepared to point out to you right now ho

that day, what Uncle Paul had said to Hilary that morning, and just how he had looked, when he said it, an

d news, or not?" she demande

hat this unforeseen opportunity should be given her daughters; and yet-it

or two, before the girls go to school," he promised his sister-in-

d be, to all intents and purposes, "Miss Shaw." Also, Bedelia was not going to boarding-school-on the whole, the arrangement had its advantage

, when that person appeare

along," she observed. "Nothing's ever happened to me, 'cept mumps-and th

at Hilary's. Hilary's going in for some other kind of picture taking. I wish she'd leave her

sat down on the garden

e front gate clicked a few moments later.

usy tonight?" Jane asked, as

at I kn

" Patienc

actice night, so I thought maybe you'd like me to take my turn at showing you something. Not all the club-

ee then?" Pa

and I

l mother you want me

her sister qu

f you like, you'd better ask Tom and Josie. Your ma'll be better satisfie

ll Hilary, closely pursued by Patience. However, Mrs. Shaw vetoed

me, my dear,"

le came to meet her. "You don't want to go expecting anything out of the common. Like's

age, where Tobias sat in solitary dignity on the doorstep, down the

to the lake?

nod

on the water,

too far below th

l mystery, and when they reached the low shore, fringed with the tall sea-grass, she took her party a few steps along it to wh

as a light breeze blowing and the soft swishing of the tiny waves against the bank was the only sound to break the stillness; the sky above th

left, to merge in turn into the soft summer twilight,

people were concerned, happy thoughts enough; for if the closing of each day brought their summ

a low-hung star through the gathering darkness. Moment by moment, other lights came into view, silently, s

ie cried und

lanterns at either end of each boat showing as they came. But to-night, infected perhaps, by the pride, the evident delight, in Jane'

ful," Pauline

scene from-fair

re pretty likely to catch one. When I was younger, I used to sit and fancy myself going aboard on one of them and setting off for strange parts. I wasn't looking to settle down here in Winton all my days; but I reckon, maybe, it's just's well-anyhow, when I got the freedom to travel, I'd got out of the notion of it-and perhaps, there's no t

ness Jane then-who had found Winton dull and dreary and had longed to get away. But for her, there had been no one to wave the magic wand, that should transform the little Vermont village into a place filled with new and unexplored charms. Never in all Jane's many summers, had she known one like this

" Pauli

ing," her si

's gone." Jane

, thank you so much, Jane

time we all see our next tow go down,"

than one before the general e

watch for them. Oh, Paul, just

old soul had it in her," he said, glancing to where Jane trudged heavily on ahead. "S

er off, after all, right, here at home. She wouldn't

Is there a hidden meaning-sub

ghed. "As

l are off on yo

can hardly be

glad to go

after we've been taught all

e of you girls left beh

ll all have to write

letter-writing, outside o

, "we're going to be busier than any bee ever

were going off that fall that a good many of the meetings of "The S. W.

e," Bell declared one morning, dropping down on the rug Paulin

curly head wisely. "Miranda says, folks mostly get 'round to e

d, looking up from her work. She might not be going away to school

me," Bell said. "Then we can all

," Josie corrected, "then we'll b

ring that she didn't at all like them, dropped the hem she was turning. "They're coming to New

nd I would have a busy winter between you all

ter the party broke up. "Four o

out in a bla

quest

ere we are going, now

iday, like good little girls. Mind, you al

cepting Tom, had been taken into her confidence-it had been necessary to press him into service. And when,

en, Harry Oram and Patience were there; the minister and D

bers, by special request, arrived empty-handed. Mr. Paul Shaw, learning

esults, and I think," he glanced at Hilary's bright happy face, "th

m New York, the watching of the unpacking of which had again transforme

t makes for real beauty, or ugliness; and it certainly was the inside of that hamper that counted. I wish you were going, Tow

ability, following the party at a discreet distance through the garden and down the road towards t

arrow bow seat, blandly surveying his fellow voyagers. "He does so love picnics," Patience explained to Mr. Dayre, "and t

t ahead came

n the wide o

ish we were-the water's quiet

its many moods chosen to wear this afternoon its sweetest, most beguiling one, a

er against the cloud-flecked sky, their tops soft

went the call, "We're going to P

t in Winton,"

in it," Jack Wa

bout that old fort, Paul Shaw?" Tracy demande

the new-to un

ne to

ds like a

ross her shoulder to where Mr. Allen sa

y you asked t

d. "Was t

, white lighthouse stood, and entering the little cove

ered, circular embankment, surrounding the crumblin

d, barring the way. "No passing within this fort without th

ppy,'" she suggested, and Tom drew back for her to ent

nd camp-kettle swung, hammocks had been hung under the trees and when cushions

nges; for this picnic-though by no means lacking in charm-was not as gay and filled with light-hearted chaff as usual. The

eze had sprung up and from outside the sloping embankment they caught the sound of the waves breaking on the beach. True

es than the present; and the young people, listening to the tales Mr. Allen told in his quiet yet strangely vivid way, seemed

as they were repacking the baskets. "Even

W. F. Club' will continue

oats, beside her father. The club members were singing the club song.

ar from the hopeless discontent, the vague longings, the real anxiety of that time, she and Hilary had traveled. She looked up impulsively.

hear that,"

out across the water, no longer quiet; overhead, the sky was bright with stars. "Eve

ye, the Lord hath made even both of

ut into the new life, among the new scenes. One would need them everywhere-out in the world, as well as in