Then she began her work. The underneath part at first, but somehow her
hand trembled. Lilian watched with an indignant, aching heart. After
awhile her mother leaned back with a sigh.

"I believe I shall have to get glasses," she said wearily. "I cannot do
fine work in the evening. I am afraid I shall spoil it, and I've always
been such a neat worker."

"Let me finish," said the girl. Every inch of her protested, but it was
for her mother's sake. Lately she had done several things to ease her.

"Yes, let me," she went on, taking the work from her mother's hands.
"You know I can darn nicely."

Lilian took infinite pains. It was slow work, but at last it was
accomplished.

"You are such a dear, good daughter, and it is said booky people are
never anything with a needle, but you could get your living with it."

Then she took her work down stairs and came back flushed and smiling.

"Look, Lilian," in a tone of pride, "it hardly shows! Cook said she
never saw more beautiful darning and that in a big city I could make a
fortune at lace mending. Will you take it to Miss Howe?"

"No, mother," and Lilian spoke in a dignified but not unkindly manner.
"We are not here to run and wait on the girl. Let Miss Howe come for
it."

Mrs. Boyd felt disappointed. She wanted some one beside cook to praise
her handiwork.

Louie fidgeted about her skirt. She and Zay were in Phil's room talking
over the coming Christmas and Mrs. Crawford's return.

"I wonder why that girl doesn't bring my skirt. Maybe they've spoiled
it."

"Have you sent a maid?"

"Why no. I meant Miss Boyd. She oughtn't be above such things."

"Still, she isn't here to run on errands. I think Mrs. Barrington treats
her quite as if she were a scholar, and she's a fine one, too."

"Some day she'll brag of having been educated here, though Mount Morris
doesn't set out to furnish teachers, but the training of young ladies.
Mother likes it because there was no opportunity of making undesirable
acquaintances," and Louie gave her head a toss.

"Is Miss Nevins so very desirable?" asked Zay with a flash of mirth in
her eye.

"Still, if you met her abroad as a rich banker's daughter or heard of
her being presented to the Queen--"

"Girls, don't quarrel about either one of them. Alice Nevins is a fool
and always will be. Lilian Boyd is smart and ambitious but there _is_
the bar sinister. Her mother isn't the sort of person to come up in the
world and when Miss Li