“Is that you, Mamma?” With a happy smile she turned back to the ’phone. “Dear Mamma! Yes, I’m all safe and happy, and I’m so sorry you have worried. We won’t let you do it again. But listen; I’ve something to tell you, a surprise--Mamma, I did not marry George Hayne at all. No, I say I _did not_ marry George Hayne at all. George Hayne is a wicked man. I can’t tell you about it over the ’phone but that was why I looked sad. Yes, I was _married_ all right, but not to George. He’s oh, so different, Mother you can’t think. He’s right here beside me now, and Mother, he is just as dear--you’d be very happy about him if you could see him. What did you say? Didn’t I mean to marry George? Why Mother, I never wanted to. I was awfully unhappy about it, and I knew I made you feel so too, though I tried not to. But I’ll explain all about it. You’ll be perfectly satisfied when you know all about it.... No, there’s nothing whatever for you to worry about. Everything is right now and life looks more beautiful to me than it ever did before. What’s his name? Oh;” she looked up at Gordon with a funny little expression of dismay. She had forgotten and he whispered it in her ear. “Cyril--” “It’s Cyril, Mother! Isn’t that a pretty name? Which name? Oh, the first name of course. The last name?” “Gordon--” he supplied in her ear again. “Cyril Gordon, Mother,” she said, giggling in spite of herself at her strange predicament.... “Yes, Mother. I am very, very happy. I couldn’t be happier unless I had you and Jeff, too, and”--she paused, hesitating at the unaccustomed name--“and Cyril says we’re coming to visit you to-morrow. We’ll come up and see you and explain everything. And you’re not to worry about George Hayne if he comes. Just let Jeff put him off by telling him you have sent for me, or something of the sort, and don’t pay any attention to what he says. What? You say he did come? How strange--and he hasn’t been back? I’m so thankful. He is dreadful. Oh, Mother, you don’t know what I’ve escaped! And Cyril is good and dear. What? You want to speak to him? All right. He’s right here. Good-by, Mother, dear, till to-morrow. And you’ll promise not to worry about anything? All right. Here is--Cyril.” Gordon took the receiver. “Mother, I’m taking good care of her, just as I promised, and I’m going to bring her for a flying visit up to see you to-morrow. Yes, I’ll take good care of her. She is very dear to me. The best thing that ever came into my life.” Then a mother’s blessing came thrilling over the wires, and touched the handsome, manly face with tenderness. “Thank you,” he said. “I shall try always to make you glad you said those words.” They returned to looking in each other’s eyes, after the receiver was hung up, as if they had been parted a long time. It seemed somehow as if their joy must be greater than any other married couple, because they had all their courting yet to do. It was beautiful to think of what was before them.