"I'll do my best," he answered, cheerfully, although he felt, even more
than before, the heavy responsibility upon him.

"I know you will. Don't let Celia overdo. She will be so ambitious to
run the household economically that she will set herself tasks she's not
fit for. See that Jeff keeps steadily at his studies, and be lenient
with Justin. He adores you--you can make the year do much for him if you
take thought. And with my little Charlotte--be very patient, Lanse. She
will miss us most--and show it least."

"I doubt that," thought Lanse, but aloud he said, "We'll all hang
together, mother, you may count on that. We have our differences and
our, eccentricities, but we've a lot of family spirit, and no one of us
is going to sacrifice alone while the rest fail to take notice. And
you're going to know all that goes on. We've planned to take turns
writing so that at least every other day a letter will start for New
Mexico."

"And if anything should go wrong?"

"Nothing will," asserted Lansing.

"That you don't know, dear," said the gentle voice, not quite so
steadily as before. "If anything should come we must know."

"I'll remember," he promised, reluctantly, his hand under pressure from
hers. But inwardly he vowed, "Anything short of real trouble you'll not
know, little mother. Your children are stronger than you now, and they
can bear some things for you."