“He is a playwright, producer and manager all in one, isn’t he?” asked Miriam.  “I have seen ever so many pictures of him, and read a great deal about him.  They say he is always on the lookout for material for stars.”

“Yes,” returned Miss Southard.  “He was in Europe during Anne’s engagement here last winter.  Nevertheless, he heard of her and asked Everett a great many questions about her.  I think he will offer her an engagement for next summer with a certain stock company which he controls.”

“How can I ever repay you and Mr. Southard for all you have done for me?” said Anne earnestly.

“By accepting the engagement,” laughed Grace.

“Grace is right,” agreed Miss Southard.  “Everett and I are trying to help Anne in the way we think best.”

“Then I will be pleasing myself, too,” confessed Anne.  “For I love my dramatic work as well as I do that of the college.  Now, let us talk about Oakdale and all our friends.  We have so many things to tell you.”

It was after eleven o’clock when the girls retired.  They had decided not to stay up until Mr. Southard’s return.  Once in their rooms they found themselves too sleepy for conversation and five minutes after their lights were out they were fast asleep.

They were up in good season the next morning, as it had been agreed that they should be present at the morning service in the church the Southards attended.  Thanksgiving dinner was to be served at exactly half past twelve o’clock, instead of at night, for Mr. Southard had a matinee as well as an evening performance to give and never left the theatre for dinner during this short intermission.

In church that morning as she sat listening to the beautiful service, Grace felt that she had everything for which to be thankful.  In her heart she said an earnest little prayer for all those unfortunates to whom life had grudged even bread.  She resolved to be more kind and helpful during the coming year, and prayed that she might see the right clearly and have the courage always to choose it.

“I felt as though I wanted to be superlatively good all the rest of my life,” confessed Miriam on the way home.  “That minister preached as though he loved the whole world and wished it to be happy.”

“He does.  He is a very fine man,” said Miss Southard, “and does splendid work among the very poor people.  It will perhaps surprise you to know that he was at one time an actor of great promise in Mr. Southard’s company.  Then he received the conviction that his duty lay in entering the ministry and he left the stage, entered a theological institute and after receiving his degree came back to New York as the pastor of a small church on the East Side.  Everett and I were among his most faithful parishioners.  Then later on he received an appointment to the church we just left, and has been there ever since.”

“That will be an interesting story to tell the girls when we go back to college,” said Grace thoughtfully.  “He is a wonderful man, he made me feel as though it paid to do one’s best.”