For a few moments she gazed into Will's fine dark eyes. Harold, not removing his eyes from their new discovery, gradually edged up to his mother, and slipped his hand into hers. "Mus, it's Daddy!" he said in an awed whisper. "Will he come back to us?" Alma's arms encircled the boy and she pressed his curly head close to her without answering. George came forward, and touched the boy's arm. "Come, Harold. You know you promised to show Cousin George all your wonderful toys. I'm going to live here now." "Always?" asked Harold eagerly, leaving his mother's arms. "Always, if you are very good to me, sir!" George took Harold's hand, and led him from the room. Gently closing the door, he left Alma alone with his gift to her. Long she looked at her Will. Memories, tender, and suffused with a passionate regret, swept over her being. "O Will! Will! Do you forgive me? But for my selfish, shallow life, you would be here now!" His eyes seemed to smile soothingly, and she could not seem to take her gaze from him. Then suddenly Alma thought of the giver of this gift. How good and noble George was! She had not even thought to thank him. She was just about to leave the room, when a letter on the table attracted her attention. "Betty's hand-writing!" she exclaimed in delight. Opening it she read, "Dear friends:--Welcome home again! May every happiness be yours! "I'm so sorry I could not see you before going West. I have just been released from my mission. However, I am soon coming back to New York to study dramatic art, and hope then to see you. "With love to you all, as ever, "Betty." *********** CHAPTER XIX. Betty Finds Her Opposite. Betty stayed in Ephraim only three weeks, and then returned to New York, to study. She determined to give all her spare time to the missionaries, and she was welcomed back joyously. She made her home in a quiet little boarding-house, not far from the Mission Home. There were only a few boarders. Miss Allen and Miss May were two kindly women, unmarried and middle-aged. A Mr. Mellor was as mild as his name, and though a devout Catholic, he overlooked Betty's faith, and was her enthusiastic admirer. Then there was a Mr. Edgeway, a young man with a blond attractiveness. Sometimes Betty was inclined to laugh at his mischievous moods, and at other times she would pity his shallow conceptions of life, and manner of living it. This morning he had joined her before she had gone to school. "And won't you even take in the Henrick Hudson Celebration?" asked his persuasive voice, while the eyes of the speaker looked at Betty with a laugh that defied too serious an answer. Betty returned his glance with a smile. "Mr. Edgeway, you seem determined to make me spend my time frivolously. Well, this once I shall surprise you. I shall be delighted to accept your invitation, for this should be an event of interest to every American."