poker and giving the fire
an angry thrust. A shower of sparks flew out, but he let one burn a hole
in the rug without noticing. "I'm tired of being tied to your
apron-string. I've a good mind to cut loose altogether."

"Don't say that!" cried Mrs. Franklin, in distress, going to him and
putting her arm through his. He was taller than she, and she had to look
up at him.

"If it were only you, it would be different," continued her brother;
"but you see you're married now, and everything is changed."

"But John is fond of you, Neal; I know he is. But he knows all about
boys, and his advice is good. Would--would five dollars help you?"

"You're a good little soul, Hessie," said Neal, looking down at her
affectionately, his momentary ill-humor passing, "and I suppose it is
not your fault if you can't give me any more. No, thank you; I won't
take the fiver. Don't worry about me. Here comes Jack in the cutter;
we're going to the village." And in a moment he was off.

The next day he went back to St. Asaph's.

The winter passed quickly after Christmas had come and gone, and all had
settled down again to the regular routine of work. Mrs. Franklin could
not help feeling anxious about Neal. She confided her fears to her
husband, but he made light of them.

"The boy only wanted more spending-money, Hester. He is very
extravagant, and you will be doing very wrongly if you supply him with
more money. His allowance is too large, at any rate, for a boy of his
age. Jack gets along perfectly well with just one-fifth the amount."

"But Jack is different."

"Very different, and Neal ought to be different, too. You paid his debts
in the fall, which were enormous for a school-boy, and then he was free
to start afresh. You will never cure him of extravagance if you keep him
supplied with all the money he wants."

Mrs. Franklin was forced to acknowledge the truth of her husband's
remarks. She said no more, though she was none the less worried.

Cynthia noticed that her step-mother was not as light-hearted as
formerly. They were going in to Boston one Saturday morning to do some
shopping together. Cynthia had decided to buy a watch with Aunt Betsey's
money, and she had brought the gold pieces with her.

"I am so afraid of losing them I don't know what to do," she said.
"Fifty dollars is so enormous, isn't it? Please take it in your bag,
mamma; I know I shall lose it."

Mrs. Franklin smiled absently, and when she had put away the