"Yes, but that was because I was all out of tune myself. Everything is different now. Since I've given up trying to do my own piloting, it seems to me that I come across one of His 'islands' nearly every day." As he spoke, Macklin came running up on the porch, stamping the snow from his feet, and burst into the house, his cheeks as red as winter apples.

"Here's a letter for you, Alec!" he cried. "Where's my hammer, Flip?

I want to crack some of those nuts we gathered on purpose for to-day."

She brought him the hammer, and he hurried away. Alec was turning the dainty blue envelope over in his hands.

The address was written in the same hand as the card which had come nearly a year ago with the Christian Endeavour roses. He tore open the envelope, glanced at the monogram, then down the page, and turned to Philippa with a long-drawn whistle. "I wish you'd listen to this!"

he exclaimed.

"DEAR MR. STOKER:--I am writing this in the hope that it will reach you on Thanksgiving Day. You have suffered so much on account of that miserable gold piece of mine, it is only fair that you should have this explanation at once.

"This afternoon Miss Cornish and I went to the church to practise a new song that I am to sing at the Thanksgiving service. She was to play my accompaniments. The side door of the church was open, for the florist was decorating the altar, so we did not need to use the minister's latch-key, which we had borrowed for the occasion. We practised for some time, and then sat and talked until it was almost dark.

When we started home, we found to our dismay that the janitor, thinking we had gone, had double-locked the door for the night with his big key. Our little latch-key was then of no use.

"We called and pounded until we were desperate. I had an engagement for dinner, and could not afford to lose any time.

Finally we went into the prayer-meeting room, and found that we could open one of the panes in the great stained-gla.s.s window at the side. Miss Cornish climbed up on one of those old pulpit chairs that the officers use, and said that if she could lean out through the pane, she would call to the first one who pa.s.sed, and ask him to bring the janitor to our release.

"But some way, in climbing, Miss Cornish caught her high heel in the plush with which the seat is upholstered. The goods is frayed and old. The chair tipped, and they both came to the floor with a bang. Just as I sprang to catch her, something bright and round rolled out of the chair toward me and dropped right at my feet.

"It was that unlucky gold coin, which must have slipped under the plush in some way when you counted the money on it that night.

"It was so late when we were finally rescued that I could not keep my dinner engagement. I am glad for one reason; it gives me time to write this now. I know that it will make your Thanksgiving brighter to know this, and I am sure that it is needless for me to say that I never for an instant connected the disappearance of the coin with you in any way. I regret extremely the silly gossip that wounded you so sorely, and want to tell you how much I respect the manly way in which you have since met and answered it.

"Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving with your family, I am

"Sincerely your friend,

"AVERY WINDOM."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'IT WAS THAT UNLUCKY GOLD COIN.'"]

Philippa, watching his face as he read, came up to him when he had finished, and put a hand on each shoulder.

"Alec," she said, with the straightforwardness of sixteen, "that means a lot to you, doesn't it, that she should write that she is 'sincerely your friend'?"

"Yes," he answered, honestly; "a very great deal."

"Do you suppose it would stand in the way, sometime, when you are older, you know, and have made a place for yourself in the world, her knowing about--about father?"

"I don't know, Flip," he answered, slowly; "I've often wondered about that."

Through the open door came Aunt Eunice's voice, singing jubilantly:

"I know not what the future hath Of marvel or surprise, a.s.sured alone that life and death His mercy underlies."

"How that old hymn answers everything!" Alec said, softly. "No matter what lies ahead, it's all right now. G.o.d's at the helm, little sister! I shall find all the 'islands' he has set for me."

THE END.