At this identical moment, Rex’s eyes met a pair of dancing, mischievous ones, and Kit crossed over to where they stood.

“I do believe you must be looking for me,” she said.  “I’m Kit Robbins.”

“Oh, but we were expecting your brother,” exclaimed the other girl, eagerly.

“I know, the whole family have,” said Kit, placidly, “for years and years.  But there aren’t any boys at all in our family,” and here she smiled sweetly, and quite innocently.  “I’m afraid the Dean made a little mistake, didn’t he?  Do you think he’ll mind so very much when he sees me?”

“Mind?” repeated Mr. Bellamy.  “Why, I think he’ll be perfectly delighted.  My name is Rex Wade Bellamy, Miss Robbins, and this is my sister, Anne.  We’re close neighbors of the Dean and Miss Daphne, and as we happened to be coming in town to-day they asked us to be sure to meet your——­” Here he hesitated.

“My brother,” laughed Kit.  “Well, here I am, and I only hope that mother’s letter reached them this morning, explaining everything.  Of course, they did write for a boy, and it takes so long for a letter to get out here and be answered, that I told mother and Dad I knew it would be perfectly all right for me to come instead.  Don’t you think it will be?”

Anne’s blue eyes were brimful of merriment.

“Oh, dear,” she exclaimed.  “I do wish I could go back with you, so I could see their faces when they find out.  I don’t live in Delphi.  Mother and I have been here all summer so I could keep up my music at the conservatory.  Rex has had to ‘batch it’ alone, but we’ll be back in a week, so I’ll see you then, and anyway, we’re sure to visit back and forth.  I’m awfully glad you’re a girl.”

“But I won’t be here all winter,” Kit answered.  “I’ve only come for a couple of months.  On trial, you know.  Maybe it’ll only be a couple of days, if they’re fearfully disappointed.”

Anne exchanged quick glances with her brother and he smiled as he led the way to the waiting car.

“You don’t know the elaborate plans the Dean has laid out for your education,” he said.  “It will take you all winter long to live up to them, but I’m sure he will not be disappointed.”

Kit had her own opinion about this, still it was impossible for her to feel apprehensive or unhappy, as the car sped over towards the Lake Shore Drive.  The novelty of everything after two years up in the Gilead hills of rest was wonderfully stimulating.  But it was not until they had left the city and river behind and had reached Lincoln Park that she really gave vent to her feelings.  It was a wonderful day and the lake lay in sparkling ripples beyond the long stretch of shore.

“Are we going all the way in the car?” she asked, eagerly.

Rex shook his head.

“No, only as far as Evanston.  We’ll drop Anne off, and have lunch with mother and then catch the train to Delphi.  I have an errand for the Dean out at the University.”