  The full moon shone down with its broadest smile on the group of young people who occupied Mrs. Gray’s roomy, old-fashioned veranda. As on another June night that belonged to the past, Mrs. Gray’s Christmas children had gathered home. “We’re here because we’re here,” caroled Hippy Wingate. “But allow me to make one observation.” “One,” jeered Reddy Brooks. “You mean one hundred.” “That’s very unkind in you, Reddy,” returned Hippy in a grieved tone. “Just to show you how entirely off the track you are I will make that one observation and subside.” “I didn’t know you had such a word as ‘subside’ in your vocabulary,” derided David Nesbit. “Nora, where art thou? Thy husband is calling,” wailed Hippy. “I would hardly call that an observation,” laughed Grace. “It sounds more like an anguished appeal for help,” remarked Anne. “Or a perpetration by a deaf man who hasn’t the least idea of how it sounds,” added Tom Gray cruelly. “Nora,” rebuked Hippy, fixing a disapproving eye on his wife, who was laughing immoderately, “how can you hear your husband thus derided and laugh at his suffering? Oh, if Miriam were only here to protect me. By the way,” he went on innocently, “where is Miriam?” “She will be here a little later,” said Grace evasively. “Ah, yes, I see,” smirked Hippy. “I suppose she is looking up further information on the drama. Miriam is really well-informed on that subject. Did she go to the library or”—he paused and his smile grew wider—“to the train?” Absolute silence followed this pertinent question. Then Jessica giggled. That giggle proved infectious. A ripple of mirth went the round of the porch party. “Here comes Miriam now.” Grace pointed down the drive. Two figures were seen strolling toward the house in leisurely fashion. “Yes, here she comes. Better ask her what you just asked us,” Reddy satirically advised Hippy. “Why ask questions when my eyes tell me it “Be good,” ordered Nora. “Don’t you dare say one word.” “But I haven’t made my observation yet,” reminded Hippy. “It will keep.” “Ah, here they come! Now for a pretty little speech of welcome.” Hippy rose and puffed out his chest, but before he could utter a word he was jerked back by the coat tails to the porch seat on which he and Nora had been sitting. As Miriam and the man at her side neared the porch every one rose to greet them. Then the women of the party exchanged smiling glances. On Miriam’s engagement finger shone the white fire of a diamond. The next instant Everett Southard was shaking hands with Mrs. Gray and the Eight Originals, while Miriam looked on, an expression of radiant happiness in her eyes. Then the actor turned to her with the beautiful smile, that Nora O’Malley had often declared was seraphic, and said: “Shall we tell them now, Miriam?” Miriam’s black eyes glowed with the soft light that love alone could lend to them. The pink in her cheeks deepened. “Yes,” she acquiesced. “Miriam and I are going the rest of our way Immediately a flow of congratulations ensued. In the midst of them Tom Gray’s eyes met Grace’s. What he read there seemed to satisfy him. When every one was again seated he walked over to the porch swing where Grace and Anne sat idly rocking to and fro. Stopping directly in front of Grace, he held out his hands to her. As she looked up at him her face took on an expression of perfect love and trust. Placing her hands in Tom’s, Grace rose to her feet. Their friends watched the pretty tableau with affectionately smiling faces. Then the two young people faced the expectant company. “You know, all of you, what I am going to say, so you must know, too, how happy I am. Grace has promised to marry me.” Tom’s face was aglow with happiness. “My dear, dear child.” Mrs. Gray rose, her arms extended to Grace. “I have hoped for this ever since you were graduated from high school.” Grace embraced the old lady tenderly. Then her chums hemmed her in, and congratulations began all over again. “Talk about your surprises,” beamed Reddy. “I hadn’t any idea that Grace and Tom had “We saved it as a special feature of the occasion,” laughed Tom, “but I’ll tell you three fellows a secret.” He lowered his voice and the laughter died out of his fine face, leaving it very serious. “I never expected this happiness was coming my way. Long ago I gave up all idea of ever being anything but a friend to Grace. I can’t understand how it all came about, and I suppose I never shall.” “Maybe we aren’t tickled over your good fortune,” said Hippy warmly. “We’ve waited for this a long while. I always told Nora that it would happen some day. I knew there was just one Tom Gray and that it would only be a question of time until Grace found it out.” “No fair having secrets,” called out Nora. “What and who are you boys talking about in such low, confidential voices?” “Me,” beamed Hippy. “Reddy was just telling me that he never fully appreciated me until cruel distance separated us. Of course I can’t help feeling touched. It is so seldom that Reddy The confidential group suddenly dissolved in a hurry. Reddy took hold of Hippy’s arm and rushed him down the steps and around the corner of the house in an anything but gentle manner. “There,” he declared, as he returned to the porch alone. “That will teach him that he can’t make pointed remarks about me. I guess he felt ‘touched’ that time.” “N-o-r-a,” wailed a pathetic voice. “Come and get me. I want to sit on the veranda, too.” “Promise you’ll be nice to Reddy, or I won’t come after you,” stipulated Nora, making no effort to rise. “I won’t promise,” came the defiant answer. “I don’t like Reddy. He is a hard-hearted ruffian.” “Thank you,” sang out Reddy. “Now come back if you dare.” “I don’t want to come back. I’d rather walk around by myself in the garden.” Nothing further was heard from Hippy for a time. Conversation on the veranda went on merrily. Apparently no one missed the stout young man. Suddenly a bland voice at Reddy’s elbow said, “Why, good evening, Reddy.” Hippy’s fat face appeared between the lace curtains at the open parlor window. He beamed joyfully at the company, then favored Reddy After announcing their engagement and receiving the congratulations of their friends, Tom and Grace had seated themselves on a rustic bench a little apart from the others. Grace’s slim fingers lay within Tom’s strong hand. “Grace,” he said, bending toward her so that he could look into her eyes, “are you perfectly sure that you love me? Are you quite content to give up your work? You don’t think there will ever come a time when you will be sorry that you chose me instead? It still seems like a dream to me. I can’t believe that you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives together. It’s too much happiness. If you knew how black everything seemed that rainy day when you sent me out of your life——” “Hush, you mustn’t speak of it,” Grace lightly laid the fingers of her free hand against Tom’s lips. “I did not know how wonderful your love for me was. It took sorrow and separation to make me see it. But I’m sure now, Tom, perfectly sure. I used to think I could “Then the prince is going to claim the princess and bind her to him forever with a jeweled circle of gold,” said Tom softly. His hand reached into an inner pocket of his coat. Over Grace Harlowe’s slender finger was slipped the magic circle of gold, a glittering pledge of eternal devotion, and as she touched the jeweled token with her lips the knowledge came to her that though Loyalheart’s pilgrimage in the Land of College was ended, an infinitely more wonderful journey on the Highway of Life was soon to begin. How Grace Harlowe spent her last summer in her father’s house before starting upon that journey, with Tom Gray as her life-long guide, will be told in “Grace Harlowe’s Golden Summer.” The End HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY’S Best and Least Expensive Books for Boys and Girls The Motor Boat Club Series By H. IRVING HANCOCK The keynote of these books is manliness. The stories are wonderfully entertaining, and they are at the same time sound and wholesome. No boy will willingly lay down an unfinished book in this series.
Sold by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of price. Henry Altemus Company 1326-1336 Vine Street Philadelphia Battleship Boys Series By FRANK GEE PATCHIN These stories throb with the life of young Americans on today’s huge drab Dreadnaughts.
[Transcriber’s Note: There was no book “5” in the original advertisement.] Price $1.00 each. The Range and Grange Hustlers By FRANK GEE PATCHIN Have you any idea of the excitements, the glories of life on great ranches in the West? Any bright boy will “devour” the books of this series, once he has made a start with the first volume.
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Grace Harlowe Overseas Series
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All these books are bound in Cloth and will be sent postpaid on receipt of only $1.00 each. Pony Rider Boys Series By FRANK GEE PATCHIN These tales may be aptly described the best books for boys and girls. 1 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ROCKIES; Or, The Secret of the Lost Claim.—2 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN TEXAS; Or, The Veiled Riddle of the Plains.—3 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN MONTANA; Or, The Mystery of the Old Custer Trail.—4 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE OZARKS; Or, The Secret of Ruby Mountain.—5 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE ALKALI; Or, Finding a Key to the Desert Maze.—6 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN NEW MEXICO; Or, The End of the Silver Trail.—7 THE PONY RIDER BOYS IN THE GRAND CANYON; Or, The Mystery of Bright Angel Gulch.
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[Transcriber’s Note: There was no book “5” in the original advertisement.] Dave Darrin Series By H. IRVING HANCOCK
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All these books are bound in Cloth and will be sent postpaid on receipt of only. $1.00 each. High School Boys Series By H. IRVING HANCOCK In this series of bright, crisp books a new note has been struck. Boys of every age under sixty will be interested in these fascinating volumes.
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High School Boys’ Vacation Series By H. IRVING HANCOCK “Give us more Dick Prescott books!” This has been the burden of the cry from young readers of the country over. Almost numberless letters have been received by the publishers, making this eager demand; for Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin, Tom Reade, and the other members of Dick & Co. are the most popular high school boys in the land. Boys will alternately thrill and chuckle when reading these splendid narratives.
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