all his intercourse with her, the traces of tears on Mrs Inglis's
face. He was not sure that there was not the shine of tears in David's
eyes too. His congratulations were given very quietly, and as quietly
received.

"But I am afraid it is the beginning of bad days to us, Aunt Mary, if we
have to say good-bye to you all."

"It would be bad days for us, too, if that were to happen; but I hope
nothing so sad as that is to follow our good fortune."

"Good-bye!" exclaimed Frank. "That is the last thing we shall think of,
Aunt Mary. But, I suppose, we shall lose Davie for awhile. Eh, Davie?"

"I shall be away for awhile, if you call that losing me; but I shall be
home soon, and often."

"It happened just at the right time, didn't it?" said Ned. "Just as
Davie is ready to go to college."

"Davie has been ready for that any time these three years; and what I
wonder is, that mamma did not hear of this at once," said Jem.

"This is the right time, I think," said Mrs Inglis.

"I am very glad it did not happen this time last year," said Philip.

"Why?" said Violet.

"I will tell you another time," said Philip.

"After all, mamma, money is a very good thing to have," said Ned, after
there had been more discussion of Miss Bethia's will, and all that was
to be done in consequence of it.

"A very good thing, in certain circumstances."

"But, mamma, you have always spoken as if it did not matter whether we
had money or not--much money, I mean. And now see how pleased everybody
is because Miss Bethia gave her's to you. I don't think anything ever
happened before that pleased every one of us so well."

"I cannot say that for myself," said his mother.

"And there is not _much_ money of it," said Frank.

"And everybody is glad because of Davie," said Jessie. "I think Miss
Bethia meant it for Davie to go to college and be a minister like papa,
and that is why mamma is so glad, and all of us."

"Nonsense! Miss Bethia meant it for mamma and all of us. She would
have said it was for Davie, if she had meant it for him. Do you think
Miss Bethia meant it for you, Davie? Do you, mamma?" said Ned, as he
saw a smile exchanged between them.

"She meant it for mamma, of course," said David.

"Davie," said his mother, "read Miss Bethia's letter to Philip and the
children."

David looked at his mother, and round on the rest, then back again to
his mother, a little surprise and hesitation showing in his face.

"Do