aid a baleful
secret might come to light, and you were the master mind holding some
curious power over her."

"Oh, it was not that," cried Lilian, eagerly. "It was because in her
simple life she had not been accustomed to the usages that obtained in
the larger world. Often I did guide her a little. She was very timid."

"And it seemed to me--of course I understand it now, that you held your
head quite too high for your mother's daughter. I was brought up to do
my duty in that station of life to which it should please God to call
me, and not try to get out of it. You seemed above it--somehow----"

"Oh, did I act that way? I was only trying to do _my_ duty to the
classes and to Mrs. Barrington. I did not mean to seem above my
station," and there was sob in her voice.

"My dear, don't cry. My apology would not be worth half so much if I
held back part of the price. I think I was a little jealous of Mrs.
Barrington's favor for you, as I had a curious suspicion that something
not quite orthodox might come out about you, that you really were not
her child. You see I was not so far out of the way after all, and that
evening I accused you of having gone to the Clairvoyants--we had just
heard the death was from malignant scarlet fever. It would have ruined
the school for a long while to have it break out here, you know. If the
person had come out in the open so that I could have seen, but her
darting back, and I think there was more than one. It seems even now as
if it did look like you, but it might have been because it was like the
Tam you wore. And you appeared so embarrassed over it."

"Oh, could you believe that I would have told such a falsehood?" she
cried, hurt to the very quick.

"We thought it best to take precautions. Then Mrs. Boyd had her stroke
and then came her confession and all that has happened since. Your
devotion to that poor woman was enough to stamp the nobleness of your
character, and it is not because you are Major Crawford's daughter that
I say this--that I am ashamed of my prejudices and beg you to forgive
me. Mrs. Barrington was right from the beginning and you are worthy of
the best of fortune."

"Oh, Mrs. Dane--" and her voice broke.

"I should have felt myself contemptible if I had not made this amends,
and now if you will shake hands with me----"

"Gladly. And I thank you for the kindliness towards my--yes, she _was_
my mother all these years and the sympathy you showed me even before it