room lost in reflection, as completely absorbed as though she was seeing
things thousands of miles away. In truth, she was seeing things millions
of miles away; she was seeing a Promised Land. It was a gift of hers, or
a penalty of her life, perhaps, that she could lose herself in reverie at
a moment's notice--a reverie as complete as though she was subtracted
from life's realities. Now, as she looked out of the door, far over the
prairie to a tiny group of pine-trees in the vanishing distance, lines
she once read floated through her mind:

"Away and beyond the point of pines,
In a pleasant land where the glad grapes be,
Purple and pendent on verdant vines,
I know that my fate is awaiting me."

What fate was to be hers? There was no joy in her eyes as she gazed.
Mrs. Crozier was beside the table again before she roused herself from
her trance.

"I've got it--just two sheets, two solitary sheets," said Mona in
triumph. "How long they have been in my case I don't know. It is almost
uncanny they should be there just when they're most needed."

"Providential, we should say out here," was Kitty's response. "Begin,
please. Be sure you have the right date. It was--"

Mona had already written the date, and she interrupted Kitty with the
words, "As though I could forget it!" All at once Kitty put a
restraining hand on her arm.

"Wait--wait, you mustn't write on that paper yet. Suppose you didn't