Fred Bradford of his sisters that day at the dinner table. "It is com

estion was not one which admitted of dispute to Bessie's mind. Sh

of your position, little

it, you know, since she was burned; and Gracie will not try. She says she don't w

Fred, who had heard the account of Gracie's ill-behavior, not from Maggie and Bessie, bu

ook her s

er said so, and if she felt sorry enough to keep her from t

acie Howard eating humble pie. But you don't s

yes in undisguised astonishment, "wh

ize is for general improvement and not for any one particular composition, I do no

mprove myself," answered Bessie; "but I did not

prizes, or no prizes," said Fred. "Oh, I say, Bess, you are

ck as she answered, after a moment's hesitation

ty, when you have been so wild for music lessons for the last year or more. What have yo

ated Bessie, in a slightly irritated

ttern Bess has never been doing anything wrong, has she? And so very wrong that-ouch!

gentle reminder of that nature; and no

understanding on this matter; but she has forgotten that there is no necessity for doing without the music less

hrough him, it actually had not occurred to her until this moment that she would not be called upon to give up the music lessons. She had made the sacrifice fre

s of those loving eyes, but said nothing; and, as Mr. Bradford had decreed, the

to carry out her sacrifice; she had offered it unselfishly, and in good faith, and he would let

sion, or to affectation of an ignorance which did not exist, that she did not know how she was to maintain an appearance of innocence when Lena should tell her that which she would dou

rassed over her own share in the events Lena had to relate. And the possibility of Bessie being the donor of that sum of money never occurred to Lena. Perhaps she would have been glad to know it, for Lena was a proud child, with a very independent spirit, and in spite of the immense relief

scarcely come into her hands when it was se

was a relief in more ways than one, although she was half provok

y wr

AR

, at any rate, or ask where it went. You may be sure it did not stay in my hands long, but went into those of Seabrooke in five minutes. How I did want to keep it too. But there, Seabrooke is paid, and I'm free and no one the wiser; at least, no one that I'm afraid of, so no harm is done. But to think I've had to lose that money for such a thing as that. I suppose it was a shabby trick to play, and I tell you I think I never heard anything quite so scurvy as Flagg putting that stuff into Seabrooke's carafe to make him sleep, and I'm sure Seabrooke feels more put out about that than he does about the letter, because that was malice prepense, and the other was-well-an accident; at least, we did not know the mischief we were doing, and we have made it all right. But he can't get over the drugging, and I'm glad I had no hand in it, for I do not know what the doctor will say to it. He is not back yet; but his son is better, and he wi

same everlasting

Y NEV

as she did, Bessie's conscientiousness and strict sense of honor and honesty. "All right now." Was this indeed all the impression made upon Percy by his late peril, all the shame and regret he could feel? Chi

sell. It is not at all like the way he does things; he is never mysterious or anonymous; and he is not at all afraid of papa or mamma, and can do what he likes with his own money. He is very, very ge

ing to Lena the means of rescuing Percy,-"no-I-do not like anonymous

t think so," said Le

looking at her with s

nderhand dealings to b

r

ous" was the best and only course to take, so it had seemed to her, and sh

a's unknown friend was not her brother Russell, and she was herself mystified about the other

Easter Sunday, and that Saturday is the day for Miss A

that cannot make much difference to me, except t

ena was supposed to be out of the question and Gracie Howard had decidedly withdrawn from the contest. "Maggie is sur

for wishing to earn the prize for Gladys Seabrooke. I would like to be the one to win it for her; but I think-I know-it is more for my own sake than for hers. You know I told you I wished s

ad promised that you should stay with Uncle Horace and Aunt

am doing better here, improving more than I have ever done before-as I am-so that they will leave me till I am grown up

mily and to remain in a country where she would be separated from them for years to come; but nevertheless she felt a great sympathy for her and a strong desire that this wish should be fulfilled. Still she could not but have a little feeling of gladness

f the "Cheeryble Sisters' Club," such papers being, at Len

e young convalescent, when

y. Did you know that Bessie had b

family!" said Lena. "N

rote poe

she would never let her compositions be read in the club, and this is the second one she has given us. It is good, too," s

me before you go?" asked

eciative pride at Bessie, "for fear Jane comes and as

Lena's table when she came in; but before she had time even to co

ou please come. I have a million thi

d Maggie; but Jane added to

soft-like that'll be turning into rain

anced out of the window and saw that the maid's words were true, she lingered no longer, but laid the papers down again and told Lena they must

oment she came in, accompanied by a little old lady, who will, do

ou?" said Mrs. Rush. "Here is an old friend who w

ma would not like Bessie to be out." Then, turning to the little old lad

y grown-why, grown!" she added, in a tone which would indicate that it was a matter of surprise two girls of the ages of Maggie and Bessie

as she had never seen her before, although she had heard of her from her aunt and from her schoolmates, who oft

s if she were a kind of natural curiosity; yet

d Mrs. Rush. "Lena, dear, this is Miss Tre

oine, yes, heroine, indeed. Fire, oh yes, indeed, fire; suc

hose who were near and dear to her; and from strangers they were unendurable to her. She shrank back in her chair and half tu

d to effect

se, it's snowing fast," s

arriage has gone for the colonel; when it returns it shall take them home. And, Mi

mfortable gossip with old Margaret, departed to the nursery till

he studies of the latter and of the progress they were making in the two branches in which she had been their instructress, and gave some informat

ss Trevor turn

boy, yes, boy-indeed, youth-such a fine youth-such a hero-ro, indeed, ro-does not fear geese-hissing creatures, my dears-yes, creatures, in

reason, in view of late occurrences, to do so, and she never connected him with the heroic youth on whose praises this odd little o

ny in the story, Maggie and Bessie, and even Mrs. Rush, had some difficulty in restraining themselves from laughing outright at the tragic tale she contrived t

Lena's attenti

the streets of Utica, Miss Trevor?" asked Mrs. Rus

tica, no indeed, not U

a year ago, yes, 'go

s, 'dale," sa

other at school at Sylvandale. Percy Neville! Can it

yes, name. Is it possible he is your brother?" turning to Lena with a face no

r and might by her be incautiously betrayed to Colonel and Mrs. Rush. She turned rather an anxious eye upon the old lady, wishing that she would

h Miss Trevor knew nothing of Percy's troubles. Fu

ena. She was close to her little lady before she perceived the stranger, whom she would have shunned as she would a pestilence. Th

f her guard; but the exclamation was far more of a p

ficed so much, was he not in danger of betrayal and disgrace in case this old lady s

and she stood perfectly still, staring i

Hannah that she expected to return at once to Sylvandale, but also by the fear that the money had not reached its de

, my good woman, gone. I stayed in the city, yes, stayed, but th

e knew her place, and generally treated her superiors with all due respect, if there was one thing more than another which exasperated her, it was t

kin' ye noth

questions, although it was not Hannah's way to

WASN'T ASKIN' YE