“And go home?”

“Oh, yes.  What else should I do?”

“And learn housekeeping from Linnet.”

“It is not new work to me.”

“How is Miss Prudence?”

“As lovely as ever.”

“And the little girl?”

“Sweet and good and bright.”

“And Mrs. Kemlo?”

“She is—­happier.”

“Hasn’t she always been happy?”

“No; she was like your mother; only hers has lasted so long.  I am so sorry for such—­unhappiness.”

“So am I. I endured enough of it at one time.”

“I cannot even think of it.  She is going home with me in June.  Morris will be glad to have her with mother.”

“When is Mr. Holmes coming here?”

“In June.”

“June is to be a month of happenings in your calendar.”

“Every month is—­in my calendar.”

He was bending towards her that she might listen easily, as he did not wish to raise his voice.

“I haven’t told you about my class in Sunday school.”

“Oh, have you a class?”

“Yes, a class of girls—­girls about fourteen.  I thought I never could interest them.  I don’t know how to talk to little girls; but I am full of the lesson, and so are they, and the time is up before we know it.”

“I’m very glad.  It will be good for you,” said Marjorie, quite in Miss Prudence’s manner.

“It is, already,” he said gravely and earnestly “I imagine it is better for me than for them.”

“I don’t believe that”

“Our lesson last Sunday was about the Lord’s Supper; and one of them asked me if Christ partook of the Supper with his disciples.  I had not thought of it.  I do not know.  Do you?”

“He ate the passover with them.”

“But this was afterward.  Why should he do it in remembrance of his own death?  He gave them the bread and the cup.”

Marjorie was interested.  She said she would ask her father and Miss Prudence; and her mother must certainly have thought about it.

The conductor nudged Hollis twice before he noticed him and produced his ticket; then the candy boy came along, and Hollis laid a paper of chocolate creams in Marjorie’s lap.  It was almost like going back to the times when he brought apples to school for her.  If he would only explain about the letter—­

The next station would be Middlefield!  What a short hour and a half!  She buttoned her glove, took her shawl strap into her lap, loosening the strap so that she might slip her “English Literature” in, tightened it again, ate the last cream drop, tossed aside the paper, and was ready for Middlefield.

As the train stopped he took the shawl strap from her hand.  She followed him through the car, gave him her hand to assist her to the platform, and then there was a welcome in her ears, and Linnet and her father seemed to be surrounding her.  Captain Rheid had brought Linnet to the train, intending to take Hollis back.  Linnet was jubilant over the news of Will’s safe arrival; they had found the letter at the office.