r head to
keep the dark, heavy locks out of her gleaming black eyes.

"Oh dear, oh dear, Maggie, what are you thinkin' of, to throw your
bonnet down there? Take it upstairs, there's a good gell, an' let your
hair be brushed, an' put your other pinafore on, an' change your
shoes--do, for shame; an' come and go on with your patchwork, like a
little lady."

"O mother," said Maggie in a very cross tone, "I don't want to do my
patchwork."

"What! not your pretty patchwork, to make a counterpane for your Aunt
Glegg?"

"It's silly work," said Maggie, with a toss of her mane--"tearing
things to pieces to sew 'em together again. And I don't want to sew
anything for my Aunt Glegg; I don't like her."

Exit Maggie, drawing her bonnet by the string, while Mr. Tulliver
laughs audibly.

"I wonder at you as you'll laugh at her, Mr. Tulliver," said the
mother. "An' her aunts will have it as it's _me_ spoils her."

Chapter II.

THE CHOICE OF A SCHOOL.

Mr. Riley, who came next day, was a gentleman with a waxen face and fat
hands. He talked with his host for some time about the water supply to
Dorlcote Mill. Then after a short silence Mr. Tulliver changed the
subject.

"There's a thing I've got i' my head," said he at last, in rather a
lower tone than usual, as he turned his head and looked at his
companion.

"Ah!" said Mr. Riley, in a tone of mild interest.

"It's a very particular thing," Mr. Tulliver went on; "it's about my
boy Tom."

At the sound of this name Maggie, who was seated on a low stool close
by the fire, with a large book open on her lap, shook her heavy hair
back and looked up eagerly.

"You see, I want to put him to a new school at Midsummer," said Mr.
Tulliver. "He's comin' away from the 'cademy at Lady Day, an' I shall
let him run loose for a quarter; but after that I want to send him to a
downright good school, where they'll make a scholard of him."

"Well," said Mr. Riley, "there's no greater advantage you can give him
than a good education."

"I don't mean Tom to be a miller and farmer," said Mr. Tulliver; "I see
no fun i' that. Why, if I made him a miller, he'd be expectin' to take
the mill an' the land, an' a-hinting at me as it was time for me to lay
by. Nay, nay; I've seen enough o' that wi' sons."

These words cut Maggie to the quick. Tom was supposed capable of
turning his father out of doors! This was not to be borne; and Maggie
jumped up from her stool, forgetting all