care--she was glad to go--glad to get away. Well, it ain't
any wonder. I've always been too cranky with her. But I loved her so
much all the time, and I was so proud of her! I liked her
picture-making real well, even if I did complain of her wasting her
time. Oh, I don't know how I'm ever going to keep on living now she's
gone!"

Jane Lavinia listened with a face from which all the sparkle and
excitement had gone. Yet amid all the wreck and ruin of her tumbling
castles in air, a glad little thrill made itself felt. Aunt Rebecca
was sorry--Aunt Rebecca did love her after all!

Jane Lavinia turned and walked noiselessly away. As she went swiftly
up the wild plum lane, some tears brimmed up in her eyes, but there
was a smile on her lips and a song in her heart. After all, it was
nicer to be loved than to be rich and admired and famous.

When she reached Mr. Whittaker's, everybody was out in the yard ready
to start.

"Hurry up, Jane Lavinia," said Mr. Whittaker. "Blest if we hadn't
begun to think you weren't coming at all. Lively now."

"I am not going," said Jane Lavinia calmly.

"Not going?" they all exclaimed.

"No. I'm very sorry, and very grateful to you, Mr. Stephens, but I
can't leave Aunt Rebecca. She'd miss me too much."

"Well, you little goose!" said Mrs. Whittaker.

Mrs. Stephens said nothing, but frowned coldly. Perhaps her thoughts
were less of the loss to the world of art than of the difficulty of
hunting up another housemaid. Mr. Stephens looked honestly regretful.

"I'm sorry, very sorry, Miss Slade," he said. "You have exceptional
talent, and I think you ought to cultivate it."

"I am going to cultivate Aunt Rebecca," said Jane Lavinia.

Nobody knew just what she meant, but they all understood the firmness
of her tone. Her trunk was taken down out of the express wagon, and
Mr. and Mrs. Stephens drove away. Then Jane Lavinia went home. She
found Aunt Rebecca washing the breakfast dishes, with the big tears
rolling down her face.

"Goodness me!" she cried, when Jane Lavinia walked in. "What's the
matter? You ain't gone and been too late!"

"No, I've just changed my mind, Aunt Rebecca. They've gone without me.
I am not going to New York--I don't want to go. I'd rather stay at
home with you."

For a moment Aunt Rebecca stared at her. Then she stepped forward and
flung her arms about the girl.

"Oh, Jane Lavinia," she said with a sob, "I'm so glad! I couldn't see
how I was going to get alo