it had slipped down. Then she sauntered listlessly out into the dining-
room and stood by one of the open windows, looking out through the wire
screen into the garden.

On any other day she would have found entertainment in the kitchen
listening to Belle and Mrs. Triplett. Belle seemed doubly interesting now
that she had heard of the unused wedding dress and the sorrow that would
"blight her whole life." But Georgina did not want anyone to see how
bitterly she was disappointed.

Just outside, so close to the window that she could have reached out and
touched it had it not been for the screen, stood the holiday tree. It had
held out its laden arms to her on so many festal occasions that Georgina
had grown to feel that it took a human interest in all her celebrations.
To see it standing bare now, like any ordinary tree, made her feel that
her last friend was indifferent. Nobody cared. Nobody was glad that she
was in the world. In spite of all she could do to check them, two big
tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks; then another and another. She
lifted up the hem of her dress to wipe them away, and as she did so Uncle
Darcy came around the hoase.

He looked in at the open window, then asked: "Weather a bit squally, hey?
Better put into port and tie up till storm's over. Let your Uncle Darcy
have a hand at the helm. Come out here, Barby, and let's talk it over on
the door-step."

There was something so heartening in the cheery voice that Georgina made
one more dab at her eyes with the hem of her dress skirt, then dropped it
and went out through the screen door to join him on the steps which led
down into the garden. At first she was loath to confess the cause of her