"I should say not," I declared with a warmth that

caused Sister Theresa to sweep me warily with those

wonderful gray eyes. "But first he expects to find this

fortune and endow Miss Devereux with it. That is a

part of the scheme. And my own interest in the estate

must be eliminated before he can bring that condition

about. But, Sister Theresa, I am not so easily got rid

of as Arthur Pickering imagines. My staying qualities,

which were always weak in the eyes of my family, have

been braced up a trifle."

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"Yes." I thought pleasure and hope were expressed

in the monosyllable, and my heart warmed to her.

"Sister Theresa, you and I are understanding each

other much better than I imagined we should,"-and

we both laughed, feeling a real sympathy growing between

us.

"Yes; I believe we are,"-and the smile lighted her

face again.

"So I can tell you two things. The first is that Arthur

Pickering will never find my grandfather's lost

fortune, assuming that any exists. The second is that

in no event will he marry your niece."

"You speak with a good deal of confidence," she said,

and laughed a low murmuring laugh. I thought there

was relief in it. "But I didn't suppose Marian's affairs

interested you."

"They don't, Sister Theresa. Her affairs are not of

the slightest importance,-but she is!"

There was frank inquiry in her eyes now.

"But you don't know her,-you have missed your

opportunity."

"To be sure, I don't know her; but I know Olivia

Gladys Armstrong. She's a particular friend of mine,

-we have chased rabbits together, and she told me a

great deal. I have formed a very good opinion of Miss

Devereux in that way. Oh, that note you wrote about

Olivia's intrusions beyond the wall! I should thank

you for it,-but I really didn't mind."

"A note? I never wrote you a note until to-day!"

"Well, some one did!" I said; then she smiled.

"Oh, that must have been Marian. She was always

Olivia's loyal friend!"

"I should say so!"

Sister Theresa laughed merrily.

"But you shouldn't have known Olivia,-it is unpardonable!

If she played tricks upon you, you should not

have taken advantage of them to make her acquaintance.

That wasn't fair to me!"

"I suppose not! But I protest against this deportation.

The landscape hereabouts is only so much sky,

snow and lumber without her."

"We miss her, too," replied Sister Theresa. "We have

less to do!"

"And still I protest!" I declared, rising. "Sister

Theresa, I thank you with all my heart for what you

have said to me,-for the disposition to say it! And

this debt to the estate is something, I promise you, that

shall not trouble you."

"Then there's a truce between us! We are not enemies

at all now, are we?"




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