very right to build very favorable hopes.

Miss Inchman and Mrs. Cliff had been school-fellows, and when they were
both grown young women there had been a good deal of doubt which one of
them William Cliff would marry. He made his choice, and Susan Inchman
never showed by word or deed that she begrudged him to her friend, to
whom she had always endeavored to show just as much kindly feeling as if
there had been two William Cliffs, and each of the young women had
secured one of them. If Mrs. Cliff, now a widow with money enough to
live well upon and keep a carriage, was making out her will, and was
thinking of her friends in Plainton, it would be impossible for her to
forget one who was the oldest friend of all.

So it is easy to see why she did not want to go to Mrs. Cliff and
prejudice her against herself, by stating that she ought to make a will
for the benefit of the old friends who had always loved and respected
her.

Miss Cushing now spoke. She knew what each member of the little company
was thinking about, and she felt that it might as well be spoken of.

"It does seem to me," said she, "and I never would have thought of it,
if it hadn't been for the talk we had,--that we five are the persons
that Mrs. Cliff would naturally mention in her will, not, perhaps,
regarding any money she might have to leave--"

"I don't see why!" interrupted Mrs. Ferguson.

"Well, that's neither here nor there," continued Miss Cushing. "Money is
money, and nobody knows what people will do with it when they die, and
if she leaves anything to the church or to charity, it's her money! but
I'm sure that Mrs. Cliff has too much hard sense to order her executors
to sell all the beautiful rugs, and table-covers, and glass, and china,
and the dear knows what besides is in her house at this moment! They
wouldn't bring anything at a sale, and she would naturally think of
leaving them to her friends. Some might get more and some might get
less, but we five in this room at this present moment are the old
friends that Mrs. Cliff would naturally remember. And if any one of us
ever sees fit to speak to her on the subject, we're the people who
should be mentioned when the proper opportunity comes to make such
mention."

"You're forgetting Willy Croup," said Mrs. Wells.

"No," answered Miss Cushing, a little sharply, "I don't forget her, but
I'll have nothing to do with her. I don't suppose she'll be forgotten,
but whatever is done for her or w