lectual kind,
you know, and Nancy will probably be famous, and I'll be rich."

"Bless my soul!" gasped the "Ogre," then suddenly he threw back his
head, and laughed and laughed, nor could Nancy and Mrs. Prescott keep
from joining in. The more Alma proclaimed her enthusiasm for business,
the more patent her utterly delightful inaptitude for it became.

Then he grew grave, and turning to Mrs. Prescott said, in a gentle,
friendly voice:

"Lallie, I wish you would tell me--everything that has happened. I
would be very dull, indeed, if I could not guess that you and my nieces
have had a new misfortune. I blame myself. I--I have made mistakes,
and--well, life is very short."

Mrs. Prescott was silent for a moment, and sat up stiffly, as if
uncertain whether she should listen to the dictates of her pride or of
her hopes. Then presently, speaking in a quiet, monotonous voice, she
told him about her bad investment, and why she had made it.

When Mrs. Prescott had finished speaking, everyone was silent for a
little while. Then Mr. Prescott said, abruptly:

"You have been only vain, Lallie." Then, bluntly but not unkindly,
turning to Mrs. Prescott. "Very vain, very foolish. And now that
we've talked business, I'm going to ask if I may stay to supper?"

Of course he stayed. And Hannah, as she saw the last of her delicacies
vanishing silently down the "Ogre's" lean, old throat, indulged in a
bright vision of his eventual surrender.

But, having stuck to his principles for thirteen years, Mr. Prescott
was not a man to change them in a moment of impulse. After that
evening at his niece's he made no further reference to their affairs,
and seemed quite oblivious of their difficulties. Some very narrow
straits lay ahead of the Prescotts, and they had to deny themselves
things that once their little income had allowed them.

Winter wore away into spring, and the girls went on doggedly with their
tasks. Miss Bancroft had gone away for a month or so. They had been
to see her several times during the winter, and she had dropped in to
see Mrs. Prescott fairly often. There had been something very
delightful in those few afternoons spent with her; for she was one of
those charming old ladies who remain perennially girlish, and her
interest and sympathy in their talk had won from them a very warm
affection. Mr. Arnold had not appeared on the scenes during the entire
winter and spring; having gone to England, Miss Bancro