Kate's heart thumped suddenly. It was a long time since the girl had sought her out for one of their old confidential chats about nothing in particular. She had been almost glad of the trouble about Jacqueline because for the moment it had brought her close again to her other child. The newly formed alliance was evidently to continue. She said lightly, "Talk away, then!" Jemima wandered about the room, examining this thing and that, without attention. "You've never asked me a question about the visit to Mrs. Lawton, nor why I came home sooner than I had expected to." "I did not dare," admitted Kate, smiling a little. "I was afraid the great experiment had not proved a success." "Oh, but it was. A great success!--That is not why I came home so soon." "Why, then?" Jemima gave a most unexpected answer. "Because I was homesick." Tears of pure pleasure came into Kate's eyes. "You see, I'd never been away from home before, and I had no idea how much I should miss you-all. But people were very kind to me; on Professor Jim's account, I think." "Dear old Jim!" said Kate, softly. "He deserves loyal friends, because he knows so well how to be one.--I have missed him lately. When is he coming home again?" "To-day. He will be out to-morrow for supper, as usual." "Oh, yes, it is Friday, isn't it? What an odd idea, that lecture tour!--so unlike Jim. He has always been so shy and retiring. I wonder what made him undertake it?" "I did," said Jemima. "You?" "Why, yes. Some of his lectures seemed to me most unusual, much too good to waste there in Lexington. So when the opportunity was offered to him to speak in several other places, I persuaded him to accept it. We went over the talks together and made them simpler; more popular, you know. Sometimes he forgets that every audience is not composed of scholars." Kate stared at her child in amused respect. "Do you mean to say you have added literary censorship to your various other accomplishments?" Jemima smiled deprecatingly. "I was glad to be able to help him a little, after all he has done for us.--Look here, Mother,"--she began to finger the papers on the desk--"do you care at all for Professor Jim?" "Of course I do!" "No--I don't mean that way. I mean--Are you ever going to marry him, do you think?" Kate's speechless surprise was sufficient answer. "Because if you're not,"--the girl cleared her voice--"don't you think it would be kinder to say so once and for all? You see, if he were sure you would not have him" (suddenly hot color surged over her face), "he might want to marry some one else." "Old Jim marry! Jemima! What are you driving at? What can you mean?" "I mean--me," gasped the girl, and suddenly turned and fled from the room. It took Kate some moments to regain sufficient presence of of mind to follow her. She found her level-headed daughter face downward among the pillows of her bed, sobbing most humanly.