dusty son, Billy Valentine, who put a fat confiding hand in the
strange lady's as they all went down to the gate together.

"You are my Joanna's age, Jeanette," said Mrs. Burgoyne, easily. "I
hope you will be friends."

"Who will I be friends with?" said little Billy, raising blue
expectant eyes. "And who will George?"

"Why, I hope you will be friends with me," she answered laughing;
"and I will be so relieved if George will come up sometimes and help
me with bonfires and about what ought to be done in the stable. You
see, I don't know much about those things." At this moment George,
hoarsely muttering that he wasn't much good, he guessed, but he had
some good tools, fell deeply a victim to her charms.

Mrs. Carew came out of her own gate as they came up, and there was
time for a little talk, and promises, and goodbyes. Then Barry took
Mrs. Burgoyne to the station, and lifted his hat to the bright face
at the window as the train pulled out in the dusk. He went slowly to
his office from the train and attacked the litter of papers and
clippings on his desk absent-mindedly. Once he said half aloud, his
big scissors arrested, his forehead furrowed by an unaccustomed
frown, "We were only kids then; and they all thought I was the one
who was going to do something big."




CHAPTER IV