And Grace Meredith, not knowing all, kissed her tenderly, while she thought in her heart, “Perhaps I can help to win her for Ralph even yet, if I am patient.” “Do not grieve,” she said, gently. “I know you have intended no wrong. You cannot help being beautiful and attractive; you cannot help it if people _will_ love you. I do not blame you, dear, in the least, and I am sure I should not think of breaking our friendship, which has been so exceedingly pleasant. Ralph did tell me something of this last night, and of course I am sorry for him, for he is a very dear brother, and a noble fellow, too; but these affairs of the heart, you know,” she concluded, smiling and flushing, for she knew something about it herself, “are entirely beyond our control.” “Thank you, Grace,” Star said, gratefully, although the trouble did not fade out of her azure eyes; “you have lightened my burden considerably. It would have been more than I could bear to make an enemy of you.” “An enemy, you dear little goose!” Grace cried. “Do you suppose I would be so foolish as to wish to drive you to marry my brother if you could not love him? I love you both too well for that; and now don’t let me hear anything more about broken friendships, unless I do something to forfeit your respect, for it would cause me great sorrow to have anything mar our intimacy.” Star drew a long breath of relief. “You are very good to me,” she returned; “and now I have a little message to you from Uncle Jacob.” “A message from Mr. Rosevelt! Do let me have it, then, for it must be something good,” Miss Meredith said, gayly. She longed to drive the clouds from her friend’s face. “We are going to leave Newport.” “Going to leave Newport! When?” “To-morrow.” “If that is your message, it is anything but a welcome one,” Miss Meredith said, looking very much disturbed. “Oh, but it isn’t,” Star replied; “I was to tell you of our plans. We are going from here to the White Mountains, from there to Montreal, down the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario to Niagara, and then home; and Uncle Jacob commissioned me to ask you to be our guest during the trip. Will you go, Grace?” Miss Meredith looked thoughtful. It would be a sudden start, but the trip offered great attraction, to say nothing of the pleasure she would experience in Star’s and Mr. Rosevelt’s society. Ralph was gone, and if these friends should go also, she would be very lonely, notwithstanding she had many acquaintances here. “I _want_ you, Grace; _please_ do not refuse,” Star pleaded, as she hesitated, and she assented without further demur. Accordingly, the next day they all left Newport, and many blank faces and wistful eyes watched their departure, for they had formed a nucleus around which a brilliant circle had collected, and they would be sadly missed. The trip occupied three weeks, and proved a most delightful one also.