“Why do you want to hear him so much?” asked John.

Kate looked up at him in wonder.

“Don’t you want to see and hear him?” she asked.

He hesitated, a thoughtful expression on his face.  Finally he said:  “I can’t say that I do.  Will you tell me why I should?”

“You should because he was one of the men who did much to preserve our Union, he may tell us interesting things about the war.  Where were you when it was the proper time for you to be studying the speech of Logan’s ancestor in McGuffey’s Fourth?”

“That must have been the year I figured out the improved coupling pin in the C. N. W. shops, wouldn’t you think, Mother?”

“Somewhere near, my dear,” she said.

So they drove back as happily as they had set out, made themselves fresh, and while awaiting the lecture hour, Kate again wrote to Robert and Nancy Ellen, telling plainly and simply all that had occurred.  She even wrote “John Jardine’s mother is of the opinion that he is courting me.  I am so lacking in experience myself that I scarcely dare venture an opinion, but it has at times appealed to me that if he isn’t really, he certainly must be going through the motions.”

Nancy Ellen wrote:  I have read over what you say about John Jardine several times.  Then I had Robert write Bradstreet’s and look him up.  He is rated so high that if he hasn’t a million right now, he soon will have.  You be careful, and do your level best.  Are your clothes good enough?  Shall I send more of my things?  You know I’ll do anything to help you.  Oh, yes, that George Holt from your boarding place was here the other day hunting you.  He seemed determined to know where you were and when you would be back, and asked for your address.  I didn’t think you had any time for him and I couldn’t endure him or his foolish talk about a new medical theory; so I said you’d no time for writing and were going about so much I had no idea if you’d get a letter if he sent one, and I didn’t give him what he wanted.  He’ll probably try general delivery, but you can drop it in the lake.  I want you to be sure to change your boarding place this winter, if you teach; but I haven’t an idea you will.  Hadn’t you better bring matters to a close if you can, and let the Director know?  Love from us both, Nancy Ellen.

Kate sat very still, holding this letter in her hand, when John Jardine came up and sat beside her.  She looked at him closely.  He was quite as good looking as his mother thought him, in a brawny masculine way; but Kate was not seeking the last word in mental or physical refinement.  She was rather brawny herself, and perfectly aware of the fact.  She wanted intensely to learn all she could, she disliked the idea that any woman should have more stored in her head than she, but she had no time to study minute social graces and customs.  She wanted to be kind, to be polite, but she told Mrs. Jardine flatly the