lost interest in the young man.

Bentley walked home with Cynthia. It was afternoon, so he did not really
need to.

"I suppose that cousin isn't going to live with you?" he asked
presently.

"Oh, no; he will have to live in Boston."

"And come up here for Sundays?"

"Why, I don't know. That would be nice. I think I am growing fond of
company."

"Well, I can come over;" half jocosely.

"Oh, I meant other people;" innocently.

"Then you don't care for my coming?"

"Yes, I do. Oh, do you remember that winter I was half sick and how you
used to come over and read Latin? And I used to say it to myself after
you."

That delighted him. He didn't feel so cross about the young fellow, but
he half hoped he wouldn't pass, and have to go back to New Hampshire for
another year.

They sat on the stoop and chatted until the old stage stopped and
Chilian alighted.

"Oh!" the young girl cried, "where did you leave Anthony?"

"With Cousin Giles. The examinations will begin to-morrow."

It was near supper-time and Ben rose to go. Sometimes they asked him to
stay to supper, but to-night they did not.

Then an event happened that took Cynthia's entire interest for a while.
This was the return of Captain Corwin. He came up the walk one
day--quite a grizzled old fellow it seemed, with the sailor's rolling
gait--and looked at her so sharply that she had a mind to run away.

"Oh, Captain Anthony's little girl," he cried. "You have forgotten me.
And it ain't been so long either."

She thought a moment and turned from red to white. Then she stretched
out both hands and cried, her eyes and voice full of tears:

"Oh, you couldn't bring him back!"

"No, little Missy. He'd shipped for the last time before I'd reached
there and gone to a better haven. He was the best friend I ever had. But
he knew it long afore, and that was why he wanted you safe with
friends."

"I know now." She brushed the tears from her eyes.

"And I hope you've been happy."

"I waited and waited at first. Sometimes I wished I was a bird. Oh,
wouldn't we have a lovely time if we could fly? And one time in the
winter I was quite ill--it was so cold and I did get so tired of
waiting. Then Cousin Chilian told me he had gone to mother and I knew
how glad she would be to see him. I had some nice times. Cousin Chilian
loved me very much. So did Cousin Eunice. I think Cousin Elizabeth would
if she had lived longer, but she went away, too. Oh, I've done so ma