id so yet," replied Miss Mayberry, "but I think he would
like to do it."

Mrs. Cristie brought down her little fist upon the table, regardless of
her slumbering child.

"That man is utterly without a conscience," she exclaimed. "If he hadn't
kept on engaging himself over and over again to Calthea Rose, she might
have married somebody else, and gone away long ago. He has no one but
himself to blame that she is still here to worry him and other people.
And as to his wishing to sacrifice Mr. Tippengray to his ease and
comfort, I think it is the most shameful thing I ever heard of. I hope,
Ida, that you did not encourage him in this iniquitous scheme."

Ida laughed, but quietly--remembering the baby.

"Not much," she said; "in fact, I have determined, if I can, to rescue
Mr. Tippengray from that clutching old thing."

"How?" asked Mrs. Cristie, quickly.

"By marrying him myself," said the nurse-maid.

"Ida Mayberry!" exclaimed Mrs. Cristie.

"Yes," said the other; "I have been considering the matter a good deal,
and I think it can be done. He is much older than I am, but that isn't
of great importance when people suit in other ways. Of course I would
not wish to marry a very old man, even if he were suitable, for I should
have to look forward to a married life so short that it would not pay;
but Mr. Tippengray was not born so dreadfully far back, and he is one of
those men who keep young for a long time. I think he likes me, and I am
sure I can easily make him like me more, if I choose. There is nobody
here that I need be afraid of, excepting you, perhaps."

Mrs. Cristie looked at her in amazement.

"Me!" she exclaimed.

"Yes," said Ida; "and this is the way of it. For a time I rather liked
Lanigan Beam, for he's young and good-looking, and particularly because
he seems very much in love with me; but although he pretends to be
anxious to study, I know he is not very deep, and will probably soon
tire of that. So when my sympathy for Mr. Tippengray was fairly
aroused,--and it has been growing for some time,--it was easy enough to
drop Lanigan; but before I allowed myself to become too much interested
in Mr. Tippengray I had to consider all sides of the case. You seem to
like Mr. Tippengray very much, and of course if you really made up your
mind to prefer him to anybody else, one great object would be gained,
just the same as if I married him, and he would be saved from the hole
those two are digging for him."