"I fear I shall not make the time for that, but I wish the
friend much success, and you all happiness. Gott bless you!"
and with that, he shook hands warmly, shouldered Tina, and
went away.

But after the boys were abed, he sat long before his fire, with
the tired look on his face, and the "heimweh," or homesickness,
lying heavy at his heart. Once, when he remembered Jo, as she
sat with the little child in her lap and that new softness in her
face, he leaned his head on his hands a minute, and then roamed
about the room, as if in search of something that he could not
find.

"It is not for me; I must not hope it now," he said to him-
self, with a sigh that was almost a groan; then, as if reproach-
ing himself for the longing that he could not repress, he went
and kissed the two towzled heads upon the pillow, took down
his seldom used meerschaum, and opened his Plato.

He did his best, and did it manfully; but I don't think he
found that a pair of rampant boys, a pipe, or even the divine
Plato, were very satisfactory substitutes for wife and child
and home.

Early as it was, he was at the station, next morning, to see
Jo off; and, thanks to him, she began her solitary journey with
the pleasant memory of a familiar face smiling its farewell,
a bunch of violets to keep her company, and, best of all, the
happy thought, --

"Well, the winter's gone, and I've written no books, earned
no fortune; but I've made a friend worth having and I'll try
to keep him all my life."

WHATEVER his motive might have been, Laurie studied to
some purpose that year, for he graduated with honor, and gave

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