sister Phillis planned this
for us. Now you see, Miss Drummond, why we could not accept your kind
hospitality. Whatever we have been, we cannot expect people to visit
us now. If you would be good enough to recommend us, and help us in
our efforts to make ourselves independent, that is all we can ask of
you."

"Well, I don't know," returned Mattie, bluntly: "as far as I am
concerned, I am never ashamed of any honest calling. What do you say,
Archie?"

"I say it is all very proper and laudable," he returned, hesitating;
"but surely--surely there must be some other way more suitable to
ladies in your position! Let me call again when your mother comes, and
see if there is nothing that I can do or recommend better than this.
Yes, I am sure if I can only talk to your mother, we could find some
other way than this."

"Indeed, Mr. Drummond, you must do nothing of the kind," replied
Phillis, in an alarmed voice: "the poor dear mother must not be
disturbed by any such talk! You mean it kindly, but we have made up
our own minds, Nan and I: we mean to do without the world and live in
one of our own; and we mean to carry out our plan in defiance of
everything and everybody; and, though you are our clergyman and we are
bound to listen to your sermons, we cannot take your advice in this."

"But--but I would willingly act as a friend," began the young man,
confusedly, looking not at her, but at Nan.

He was so bewildered, so utterly taken aback, he hardly knew what he
said.

"Here comes Dorothy with the tea," interrupted Nan, pleasantly, as
though dismissing the subject: "she has not forgotten our old customs.
Friends always came around us in the afternoon. Mr. Drummond, perhaps
you will make yourself useful and cut the cake. Dorothy, you need not
have unpacked the best silver teapot." Nan was moving about in her
frank hospitable way. Laddie was whining for cake, and breaking into
short barks of impatience. "This is one of our Glen Cottage cakes.
Susan always prides herself on the recipe," said Nan, calmly, as she
pressed it on her guests.

Mr. Drummond almost envied his sister as she praised the cake and
asked for the recipe. He had always found fault with her manners; but
now nothing could be finer than her simplicity. Pure good nature and
innate womanliness were teaching Mattie something better than tact.
Nan had dropped a painful subject, and she would not revive it in her
brother's presence. There would be plenty of tim