"Yes; so it was," replied Miss Pat. Luck was favoring us, and Rosalind was rising to the emergency splendidly. It appeared afterward that her own mother had been painted by the same artist, and she had boldly risked the guess. Sister Margaret and I were frightened into a discussion of the possibilities of aërial navigation, with a vague notion, I think, of keeping the talk in the air, and it sufficed until we had concluded the simple luncheon. I walked beside Miss Pat to the parlor. The sky had cleared, and I broached a drive at once. I had read in the newspapers that a considerable body of regular troops was passing near Annandale on a practice march from Fort Sheridan to a rendezvous somewhere to the south of us. "Let us go and see the soldiers," I suggested. "Very well, Larry," she said. "We can make believe they are sent out to do honor to my birthday. You are a thoughtful boy. I can never thank you for all your consideration and kindness. And you will not fail to find Arthur,--I am asking you no questions; I'd rather not know where he is. I'm afraid of truth!" She turned her head away quickly--we were seated by ourselves in a corner of the room. "I am afraid, I am afraid to ask!" "He is well; quite well. I shall have news of him, to-night." She glanced across the room to where Rosalind and Sister Margaret talked quietly together. I felt Miss Pat's hand touch mine, and suddenly there were tears in her eyes. "I was wrong! I was most unjust in what I said to you of her. She was all tenderness, all gentleness when she came in this morning." She fumbled at her belt and held up a small cluster of the sweet peas that Rosalind had brought from Red Gate. "I told you so!" I said, trying to laugh off her contrition. "What you said to me is forgotten, Miss Pat." "And now when everything is settled, if she wants to marry Gillespie, let her do it." "But she won't! Haven't I told you that Helen shall never marry him?" I had ordered a buckboard, and it was now announced. "Don't trouble to go up-stairs, Aunt Pat; I will bring your things for you," said Rosalind; and Miss Pat turned upon me with an air of satisfaction and pride, as much as to say, "You see how devoted she is to me!"