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From down the street and up the street at this moment； two men were
coming； both young； both tall； both good looking； both apparently
approaching Union House。 One of them was the nearer； and his foot soon
sounded on the wooden step。 The other stopped and looked in a shop
window。
Diantha started up； came forward；it was Mr。 Eltwood。 She had a vague
sense of disappointment； but received him cordially。 He stood there；
his hat off； holding her hand for a long moment； and gazing at her with
evident admiration。 They turned and sat down in the shadow of the
reed…curtained corner。
The man at the shop window turned； too； and went away。
Mr。 Eltwood had been a warm friend and cordial supporter from the epoch
of the Club…splitting speech。 He had helped materially in the slow；
up…hill days of the girl's effort； with faith and kind words。 He had
met the mother's coming with most friendly advances； and Mrs。 Bell found
herself much at home in his liberal little church。
Diantha had grown to like and trust him much。
〃What's this about the new house； Miss Bell？ Your mother says I may
know。〃
〃Why not？〃 she said。 〃You have followed this thing from the first。
Sugar or lemon？ You see I want to disentangle the undertakings； set
them upon their own separate feet； and establish the practical working
of each one。〃
〃I see；〃 he said； 〃and 'day service' is not 'cooked food delivery。'〃
〃Nor yet 'rooms for entertainment；' she agreed。 〃We've got them all
labelled； mother and I。 There's the 'd。 s。' and 'c。 f。 d。' and 'r。 f。
e。' and the 'p。 p。' That's picnics and parties。 And more coming。〃
〃What； more yet？ You'll kill yourself； Miss Bell。 Don't go too fast。
You are doing a great work for humanity。 Why not take a little more
time？〃
〃I want to do it as quickly as I can； for reasons；〃 answered Diantha。
Mr。 Eltwood looked at her with tender understanding。 〃I don't want to
intrude any further than you are willing to want me；〃 he said； 〃but
sometimes I think that even youstrong as you arewould be better for
some help。〃
She did not contradict him。 Her hands were in her lap； her eyes on the
worn boards of the piazza floor。 She did not see a man pass on the
other side of the street； cast a searching glance across and walk
quickly on again。
〃If you were quite free to go on with your beautiful work；〃 said Mr。
Eltwood slowly； 〃if you were offered heartiest appreciation； profound
respect； as well as love； of course； would you object to marrying； Miss
Bell？〃 asked in an even voice； as if it were a matter of metaphysical
inquiry。 Mrs。 Porne had told him of her theory as to a lover in the
home town； wishing to save him a long heart ache； but he was not sure of
it； and he wanted to be。
Diantha glanced quickly at him； and felt the emotion under his quiet
words。 She withdrew her eyes； looking quite the other way。
〃You are enough of a friend to know； Mr。 Eltwood；〃 she said； 〃I rather
thought you did know。 I am engaged。〃
〃Thank you for telling me； some one is greatly to be congratulated；〃 he
spoke sincerely； and talked quietly on about less personal matters；
holding his tea untasted till it was cold。
〃Do let me give you some that is hot；〃 she said at last； 〃and let me
thank you from my heart for the help and strength and comfort you have
been to me； Mr。 Eltwood。〃
〃I'm very glad；〃 he said； and again； 〃I am very glad。〃 〃You may count
upon anything I can do for you； always；〃 he continued。 〃I am proud to
be your friend。〃
He held her hand once more for a moment； and went away with his head up
and a firm step。 To one who watched him go； he had almost a triumphant
air； but it was not triumph； only the brave beginning of a hard fight
and a long one。
Then came Mrs。 Bell； returned from a shopping trip； and sank down in a
wicker rocker； glad of the shade and a cup of tea。 No； she didn't want
it iced。 〃Hot tea makes you cooler；〃 was her theory。
〃You don't look very tired；〃 said the girl。 〃Seems to me you get
stronger all the time。〃
〃I do；〃 said her mother。 〃You don't realize； you can't realize；
Diantha； what this means to me。 Of course to you I am an old woman； a
back numberone has to feel so about one's mother。 I did when I
married； and my mother then was five years younger than I am now。〃
〃I don't think you old； mother； not a bit of it。 You ought to have
twenty or thirty years of life before you； real life。〃
〃That's just what I'm feeling；〃 said Mrs。 Bell； 〃as if I'd just begun to
live！ This is so _different！_ There is a big； moving thing to work
for。 There iswhy Diantha； you wouldn't believe what a comfort it is
to me to feel that my work here isreallyadding to the profits！〃
Diantha laughed aloud。
〃You dear old darling；〃 she said； 〃I should think it was！ It is
_making_ the profits。〃
〃And it grows so；〃 her mother went on。 〃Here's this part so well
assured that you're setting up the new Union House！ Are you _sure_
about Mrs。 Jessup； dear？〃
〃As sure as I can be of any one till I've tried a long time。 She has
done all I've asked her to here； and done it well。 Besides； I mean to
keep a hand on it for a year or two yetI can't afford to have that
fail。〃
Mrs。 Jessup was an imported aunt； belonging to one of the cleverest
girls； and Diantha had had her in training for some weeks。
〃Well； I guess she's as good as any you'd be likely to get；〃 Mrs。 Bell
admitted； 〃and we mustn't expect paragons。 If this can't be done by an
average bunch of working women the world over； it can't be donethat's
all！〃
〃It can be done；〃 said the girl； calmly。 〃It will be done。 You see。〃
〃Mr。 Thaddler says you could run any kind of a business you set your
hand to；〃 her mother went on。 〃He has a profound respect for your
abilities； Dina。〃
〃Seems to me you and Mr。 Thaddler have a good deal to say to each other；
motherkins。 I believe you enjoy that caffeteria desk； and all the
compliments you get。〃
〃I do；〃 said Mrs。 Bell stoutly。 〃I do indeed！ Why； I haven't seen so
many men； to speak to； sincewhy； never in my life！ And they are very
amusingsome of them。 They like to come herelike it immensely。 And
I don't wonder。 I believe you'll do well to enlarge。〃
Then they plunged into a discussion of the winter's plans。 The day
service department and its employment agency was to go on at the New
Union House； with Mrs。 Jessup as manager； the present establishment was
to be run as a hotel and restaurant； and the depot for the cooked food
delivery。
Mrs。 Thorvald and her husband were installed by themselves in another
new venture； a small laundry outside the town。 This place employed
several girls steadily； and the motor wagon found a new use between
meals； in collecting and delivering laundry parcels。
〃It simplifies it a lotto get the washing out of the place and the
girls off my mind；〃 said Diantha。 〃Now I mean to buckle down and learn
the hotel businessthoroughly； and develop this cooked food delivery to
perfection。〃
〃Modest young lady；〃 smiled her mother。 〃Where do you mean to stopif
ever？〃
〃I don't mean to stop till I'm dead；〃 Diantha answered； 〃but I don't
mean to undertake any more trades；