be too bad not to have Helen; she is so sweet and
is so fond of you, Miss Howard."

"Yes, she is a dear child, and I have felt a great interest in her from
the moment she entered the school. I wish I knew of some way of bettering
her circumstances. Mr. Burgess is a most estimable man, but not one liable
to advance rapidly through his own efforts, I fear. He is most reliable
and capable, but seems to lack the push so essential in this bustling day
and age. He would prove invaluable in any position of trust, but would
never secure such if it depended upon his own efforts to do so."

Toinette had listened very attentively while Miss Howard was talking, and
when she finished said:

"When papa was out here for the dance I spoke to him about Helen, and we
had such a nice little talk. The next day he spoke with Miss Preston about
those very things, but I do not know what came of it. I wish I did. His
business affairs bring him into contact with so many large firms of
different kinds that I am almost sure he could secure something for Mr.
Burgess. Do you know what I am going to do?" said Toinette, eagerly, "I am
going to write to him right off, tell him all about our plans; may I?
About the wedding, the bridesmaids, and everything; then I am going to ask
him if he has heard of anything that he thinks would help Mr. Burgess,
and, who knows, maybe, by the first of June all will be fixed up so nicely
that Helen can have things as nice as the other girls--and, oh, Miss
Howard!--wouldn't it be _lovely_ if she could go abroad with Miss
Preston?" and Toinette clasped her hands in rapture at the very thought.

Miss Howard laughed a happy little laugh, and, taking Toinette's face in
both her hands, kissed her cheeks very tenderly, saying as she did so:

"I see that I made no mistake in my estimate of your character, dear,
although I did not bargain for quite such a wise, resourceful little head
and efficient helper as you have proved. How did you manage to think out
so much in so short a time?"

"I suppose it is because my brains have never been overburdened with
thoughts for other people," said Toinette, with an odd expression
overspreading her face, "and so the part of them devoted to that sort of
thing has had time to develop to an astonishing degree. But I guess I'd
better begin to use the power before it becomes abnormal; Miss Preston
says that abnormal development of any sort is dangerous," and she gave a
funny little laugh a