The next two days were busy ones. There were a great many last little things to be done, and Julia Cloud would have worked herself out, had not the children interfered and carried her off for a ride every little while. The intervening Sabbath was spent at Ellen Robinson’s. The handsome hand-bag and wallet served to keep Ellen from being very disagreeable. In fact, at the last, when she began to realize that Julia was really going away, and would not be down at the old house any more for her to burden and torment, she really revealed a gleam of affection for her, and quite worried poor Julia with thinking that perhaps, after all, she ought not to go away so far from her only sister. When Ellen sat down on the bare stairs in the old hall Monday morning, and gave vent to a real sob at parting, Julia had a swift vision of her little sister years ago sitting on that same stair weeping from a fall, and herself comforting her; and she put her arms around Ellen, and kissed her for the first time in many reticent years.

But at last they were off, having handed over the keys to the new tenant, and Julia Cloud leaned back on the luxurious cushions and laughed. Not from mirth, for there were tears in her eyes; and not from nervousness, for she was never subject to hysteria; but just from sheer excitement and joy to think that she was really going out in the world at last to see things and live a life of her own.

The two young people felt it, and laughed with her, until the blackbirds, swirling in a rustling chorus overhead on their way south, seemed to be joining in, and a little squirrel whisked across the road and sat up inquiringly on a log framed in scarlet leaves.

They went straight to the city, for Mr. Luddington had promised to meet them there and confer with them further about their plans. But, when they reached the hotel, they found only a telegram from him saying that business had held him longer than he expected and that he should have to arrange to meet them farther along in their journey. He suggested three colleges, either one of which he should favor, and outlined their journey to take in a stop at each. He promised to communicate with them later, and gave his own address in case they decided to remain at either the first or the second place visited.

“Now,” said Julia Cloud after the telegram was disposed of, “I want to get a new dress and a few things before we go any farther. I know you children don’t like these old black things, and we might as well start out right. It won’t take me long, and I shall be ready to go on my way right after lunch.”

Leslie was delighted, and the two spent two hours of happiness in shopping, while Allison drove to a garage to have his car looked over thoroughly, and laid in a supply of good things for the journey. He also spent a profitable half-hour studying a road-map and asking questions concerning the journey.

They tried to make Julia Cloud take a nap before they started, but she declared she would rather rest 104 in the car; and so they started off, feeling like three children going to find the end of the rainbow.

It was a wonderful afternoon. The air was like wine, and the autumn foliage was in all its glory. As they flew along, it seemed as if they were leaving all care behind. A soft pink color grew in Julia Cloud’s cheeks, and she sat with her hands folded and her eyes bright with the beauty of the day.

“Oh, but you’re a beauty, Cloudy, dear!” exclaimed Leslie suddenly. “See her, Allison! Just look at her. Isn’t she great? She was all right in those black things, of course, but she’s wonderful in the gray things!”

For Julia Cloud had laid aside in the very bottom of her new trunk the prim black serge that Ellen had bought, and the black funeral gloves and coat and hat; and she was wearing a lovely soft gray wool jersey dress with white collar and cuffs. The big gray coat was nestled by her side ready for use when the wind grew colder, and she was wearing the new gray hat and gloves, and looked a lady every inch. Allison turned slowly, and gave her a look that made her blush like a girl.

“I should say she is great! She’s a peach!” he agreed. “That hat is a cracker jack! It looks like a pigeon’s wing. I like it; don’t you, Cloudy? But say, Leslie, she’s something more than a beauty. She’s a good scout. That’s what she is. Do you realize she hasn’t opened her lips about the car once? ’Member the time I took Mrs. Luddington down to the office for Guardy, how she squeaked every time another car 105 went by, and cautioned me to be careful and go slow, and asked me how many times I had ever driven before, and if I wasn’t exceeding the speed-limit, and no end of things? But Cloudy hasn’t batted an eye. She just sits there as if she was riding a cloud and enjoyed it.”

“Well, I do,” said Julia Cloud, laughing; “and I never thought of being afraid. I didn’t know enough to. Ought I to? Because I’m having such a good time that I’m afraid I’d forget to be frightened.”

“That’s what I said. You’re a good sport. I believe you like to go fast.”

Julia Cloud admitted shamedly that she did.

“He’s a splendid driver, and so am I,” Leslie explained earnestly. “Guardy had us taught ages ago, and we’re driven a lot; only of course we didn’t have our own car. We just had the regular car that belongs to the house. But we made that work some. And Allison took a full course in cars. He knows how to repair them, and put them together, and everything.”

“Shall I let her go, Cloudy?” asked Allison eagerly. “Will you be afraid?”

“I should love it,” said Julia Cloud eagerly, and then with a sober look at the boy: “Don’t do anything crazy, dear! Don’t do anything that you oughtn’t to do.”

“Of course not!” said Allison gravely, sitting up with a manly look in his handsome young face. And by the look he gave her she knew that she had put him upon his honor, and she knew that he would take no risks now that she had trusted him. If she had been 106 a squealing, hectoring kind of woman, he might have been challenged into taking risks, but not here, when she trusted him and the responsibility was all his.

Julia Cloud, as she drew a long breath and prepared, to enjoy the flight down the white ribbon of road, up a hill and down another, registered the thought that here was a clew to this boy’s character. Trust him, and he would be faithful. Distrust him, and you wouldn’t be anywhere. It did not come to her in words that way, but rather as a subconscious fact that was incorporated into her soul, and gave her a solid and sure feeling about her boy. She had seen all that in his eyes.

He turned around presently, and told her how fast they had been going; and her eyes were shining as brightly as Leslie’s.

“You’re a pretty good pard, Cloudy,” he said. “We’ll make you a member of the gang and take you everywhere. See! You’re being initiated now, and you’re making good right along. I knew we did a good thing when we came after you. Didn’t we, Les?”

And Leslie turned and flung herself into Julia Cloud’s arms with one of her enthusiastic hugs.

It was just evening when they entered the little town about twenty miles from a larger city, where was located a seat of learning, co-educational, which had been highly recommended to Mr. Luddington, and which seemed to him to have a great many good points in its favor.

The sign-posts warned them of their approach; and the three sat silently watching, judging the place from the outskirts. Big square houses and lawns multiplied 107 as they progressed. Some streets had fences. Substantial churches rose here and there, and the college grounds became visible as they neared the centre of the town. The buildings were spacious and attractive, with tall old elms and maples shading the broad walks. There was an ideal chapel of dark-red stone with arches and a wonderful belfry, and one could easily imagine young men and maidens flitting here and there.

The two young people studied the scene as the car drove slowly by, and said nothing. Allison went on to the other end of town till the houses grew farther apart, and nothing had been said. Then Leslie drew a big sigh.

“Turn around, brother, and let’s go back past there again.”

Allison turned around, and drove slowly by the college grounds again.

“There are tennis-courts at the back,” said Leslie, “and that looks like a gym over there. Do you suppose that’s the athletic field over at the back?”

They drove slowly around the block, and Julia Cloud sat silently, trying to think of herself in this strange environment, and feeling suddenly chilly and alone. There would be a lot of strange people to meet, and the children would be off at college all day. She hadn’t thought of that.

“Try some of the side streets,” ordered Leslie; “I haven’t seen our house yet.”

They came to the business part of the town, and found the stopping-place suggested in Mr. Luddington’s directions.

“We can’t tell much about it to-night,” said Allison gravely. “I guess we better get some supper and let Cloudy Jewel get rested for a while. Then to-morrow we can look around.”

They were wise words, and Julia Cloud assented at once; but it was quite plain that neither he nor Leslie was much elated at the place.

Allison slipped out for a walk through the college grounds after the others had gone to their rooms, and came back whistling gravely.

“He doesn’t like it, Cloudy,” whispered Leslie as the sound floated in through the transom. “He won’t have anything to do with it. You see!”

“What makes you think so, dear? He’s whistling. That sounds as if he liked it.”

“Yes, but look what he’s whistling. He always begins on ‘The Long, Long Trail’ if he isn’t pleased or has to wait when he’s in a hurry to get anywhere. Now, if he had been pleased, you would have heard ‘One grasshopper hopped right over th’ other grasshopper’s back.’ I can always tell. Well, I don’t care; do you, Cloudy? There’s plenty of other colleges, and I didn’t see our house in any of the streets we went through, did you?”

Julia Cloud had to confess that she had not been in love with anything she had seen yet.

“Well, then, what’s the use of going over the old college? I say let’s beat it in the morning.”

But Julia Cloud would not hear to that. She said they must be fair even to a college, and Mr. Luddington would want them to look the place over thoroughly 109 while they were there. So after breakfast the two reluctant young people went with Julia Cloud to make investigation.

They went through the classrooms and the chapel and the library and gymnasiums. They visited the science halls and workshops. They even climbed up to the observatory, and took a squint at the big telescope, and then they came down and went with a real-estate dealer to see some houses. But at twelve o’clock they came back to their boarding-house with a sigh of relief, ate a good dinner, and, climbing into their car, shook the dust of the town, as it were, from their feet.

“It may be a very nice town, but it’s not the town for me,” chanted Leslie, nestling back among the cushions.

“Here, too!” said Allison, letting the car ride out under full power over the smooth country road. But, though Julia Cloud questioned several times, she could get no explanation except Allison’s terse “Too provincial,” whatever he meant by that. She doubted whether he knew himself. She wondered whether it were that they each felt the same homesick feeling that she had experienced.

They stayed that night at a little country inn, and started on their way again at early morning, for they had a long journey before them to reach the second place that Mr. Luddington had suggested. Late that afternoon they stopped in a small city, and decided to rest until morning; for the children wanted to stretch their limbs, and they felt that their aunt was very weary though she declared she was only sleepy.

The sun had quite gone down the next evening, and the twilight was beginning to settle over everything as they drove at last into the second college town of their tour, and the church bells were pealing for prayer meeting. Church bells! The thought of them sent a thrill through Julia Cloud’s heart. There was somehow a familiar, home-like sound to them that made her think of the prayer meetings that had cheered her heart through many lonely days.

It had really been for many years her one outing to go to prayer meeting. Even after her mother had become bedridden she had always insisted on Julia’s going off to prayer meeting, and a neighbor who was lame and sometimes stayed with her would come hobbling in and send her off. The old cracked church bell at home had always sounded sweet to her ears because it meant that this hour was her own quiet time to go away alone and rest. And it had been real heart-rest always, even though sometimes the meetings themselves had been wofully prosy. There had always been the pleasant little chat and the warm hand-shake afterwards, and then the going home again beneath the stars with a bit of the last hymn in one’s soul to sing one to sleep with,

and the burden had grown less, and her heart had grown light with the promise of her Father. Those meetings had been to Julia Cloud very real meetings 111 with her Christ; and now, as the evening bells pealed out, her heart leaped to meet and answer the call.

“Oh! I’d like to go to prayer meeting!” she said impulsively as they passed the lighted church, and saw a few faithful going in at the door.

“Do you mean it?” asked Allison, bringing the car to a stop. “Do you mean it, Cloudy? Then let’s go. We can size the people up, and see if we like their looks. I guess we can stand a prayer meeting unless you are too tired.”

With the eagerness of a child Julia Cloud got out of the car and went into the house of the Lord. It was like a bit of heaven to her. She didn’t realize what a bore it might be to her two companions.

It was a good little meeting as such meetings go. Very little enthusiasm, very few present, mostly elders and their wives, with an old saint or two almost at the journey’s end, and a dignified white-haired minister, who said some good things in a drony, sleepy tone. The piano was played by a homely young woman who wore unfashionable clothes, and made frightful mistakes in the bass occasionally; but that did not seem to trouble the singers, who sang with the heart rather than with their voices.

Allison sat solemnly, and refrained from looking at his sister; but both stole occasional glances at their aunt, and admired her new clothes and the beautiful light on her face. For Julia Cloud felt as if she were glimpsing into heaven and seeing her Lord in this bit of communion with some of His saints; and, when she bowed her head in the closing prayer, she was thanking 112 Him for all His mercies in bringing this wonderful change into her gray life, and giving her these two dear children to love her and be loved by her. As she rose to come out, her face was glorified by that vision on the mount.

The gentle-faced minister came and spoke to them, and welcomed them to the church, although Allison told him quite curtly that they were only passing through the town; but Julia Cloud trod the neat brown ingrain carpet of the aisle as if it were golden pavement.

“Of all the stupid places!” said Allison as they got into the car. “What do they have prayer meetings for, anyway? Did you manage to keep awake, Cloudy?”

And suddenly like a pall there fell upon Julia Cloud’s bright soul the realization that these children did not, would not, feel as she did about such things. They had probably never been taught to love the house of God, and how was she ever to make them see? Perhaps it had been prosy and dull to one who did not hear the Lord’s voice behind the Bible words. Perhaps the old minister had been long and tiresome, and the children were weary with the journey and sleepy; she ought not to have let them stop now; and she began to say how sorry she was. But, when they saw from her words that she had really enjoyed that dull little meeting, they were silent.

“Well, Cloudy, I’ll hand it to you,” said Allison at last. “If you could stand that meeting and enjoy it, you’re some Christian! But I’m glad for one that we went if you liked it; and I guess, if you can go a 113 football game now and then, I ought to be able to stand a prayer meeting. So now here goes for seeing the town. It’s only nine o’clock, and I believe that’s the college up there on the hill where all those lights are. Shall we drive up there?”

The car slipped through the pleasant evening streets, turning a corner, slowing up at a crossing to take a view of the town, and keeping all the time in view the clusters of lights on the hill, which Allison conceived to be the college. Suddenly Leslie leaned forward, and cried:

“O Allison, stop! Stop! There it is, just there on the right. And it’s for sale, too! Oh, let’s get right out and get the name of the agent, so we won’t lose it again.”

Allison stopped the car suddenly, and turned to look. There in the full blaze of an electric arc-light, nestled among shrubbery and tall trees, with a smooth terrace in front, was a beautiful little cottage of white stone, with a pink roof, and windows everywhere.

“Why, that’s not the college, Les; what’s the matter with you?” said Allison, putting his hand on the starter again. “Better wake up. Don’t you know a college when you don’t see one?”

“College nothing!” said his sister. “That’s our house. That’s our home, Allison. The very house I’ve dreamed of. It looks a little like the houses in California, and it is the very thing. Now, there’s no use; you’ve got to get out and get that agent’s name, or I’ll jump out myself, and get lost, and walk the rest of the way!”

“It is lovely!” said Julia Cloud, leaning over to look. “But it looks expensive, and you wouldn’t want to buy a house, you know, dear; for you might not stay.”

“Oh, yes, we would if we liked it. And, besides, houses can be sold again when you get done with them, though I’d never want to sell that! It’s a perfect little duck. Allison, will you get out or shall I?”

“Oh, I’m game,” said Allison, getting out and jumping the hedge into the pretty yard.

He took out his pencil, and wrote down the address in his note-book, stepped up the terrace and glanced about, then went close to the street sign, and found out what corner it was near.

“It is a pippin, sure thing,” he said as he sprang into the car again; “but, Leslie, for the love of Mike, don’t find any more houses to-night! I’m hungry as a bear. That prayer meeting was one too many for me; I’m going to make for the nearest restaurant; and then, if you want to go house-hunting after that, all right; but I’m going to find the eats first.”

They asked a group of boys where the restaurant was, and one pointed to an open door from which light was streaming forth.

“There’s the pie-shop,” they said, and the party descended hungry and happy with the delicious uncertainty of having found a dream of a house in the dark, and wondering what it would turn out to be in the daytime. They inquired the way to the inn, and decided to stop further investigations until morning.