broadcast. She, alone, was coming back again to take up life at the
college. How she would miss them all. The dry irresistible humor of Emma
Dean, the sturdy independence of J. Elfreda Briggs, the daintiness of
Arline Thayer and the steadfast loyalty of Ruth Denton. Last of all there
were Anne and Miriam. Anne, her devoted little comrade of years, and
Miriam, whose faith and good fellowship had never failed her.

A sob rose in Grace's throat, but she quickly stifled it. After all she
was about to begin the work she herself had chosen. She had known when she
announced her determination to take charge of Harlowe House that things
could never be quite the same. It would be selfish, indeed, in her to
break down and cry when Mrs. Gray had come to Overton solely to help her
select the furniture and plan for the opening of Harlowe House in
September.

Grace pulled herself together and, resolutely putting her own sense of
loss behind her, said steadily: "I couldn't help thinking of the girls for
a minute. It made me want to cry, but I've set my face to the future now,
and I'm sure that my new work is going to bring me as much happiness here
as I had during the other dear four years. When I think of how splendid it
was in you to give Harlowe House to Overton, I feel as though there isn't
any sacrifice too great for me to make to insure its success, and I hope
that my coming back to Overton Campus to do my work is going to mean a
thousand times more to me next June than it does now."



CHAPTER II

A WELCOME GUEST