her, and second, that
much as she desired the lessons, she would not suffer Mabel to pay for
them, and she had no means of her own. On the first point she began to
waver, when Mrs. Nichols, who was in unusually good health, insisted
upon her going.

"It will do you a sight of good," said she, "and there's no kind of use
why you should stay hived up with me. I'd as lief be left alone as
not, and I shall take comfort thinkin' you're larnin' to play the
pianner, for I've allus wondered 'Tildy didn't set you at Car'line's.
So, go," the old lady continued, whispering in 'Lena's ear, "Go, and
mebby some day you'll be a music teacher, and take care of us both."

Still, 'Lena hesitated at receiving so much from Mabel, who, after a
moment's thought, exclaimed, "Why, I can teach you myself! I should
love to dearly. It will be something to occupy my mind; and my
instructors have frequently said that I was capable of teaching
advanced pupils, if I chose. You'll go now, I know"--and Mabel plead
her cause so well, that 'Lena finally consented, saying she should come
home once a week to see her grandmother.

"A grand arrangement, I must confess," said Carrie, when she heard of
it. "I should think she sponged enough from her connections, without
living on other folks, and poor ones, too, like Mr. Douglass."

"How ridiculous you talk," said John Jr., who was present. "You'd be
perfectly willing to spend a year at Mr. Graham's, or Mr. Douglass's
either, if he had a son whom you considered an eligible match. Then as
to his being so poor, that's one of Mother Atkins' yarns, and she knows
everybody's history, from Noah down to the present day. For 'Lena's
sake I am glad to have her go, though heaven knows what I shall do
without her."

Mrs. Livingstone, too, was secretly pleased, for she would thus be more
out of Durward's way, and the good lady was again becoming somewhat
suspicious. So when her husband objected, saying 'Lena could take
lessons at home if she liked, she quietly overruled him, giving many
good reasons why 'Lena should go, and finally saying that if Mrs.
Nichols was very lonely without her, she might spend her evenings in
the parlor when there was no company present! So it was decided that
'Lena should go, and highly pleased with the result of their call, Mr.
Douglass and Mabel returned to Frankfort.

At length the morning came when Nellie was to start on her journey.
Mr. Wilbur had arrived the night before