ng
assistant, whose sharp glances had made Adelle shyer than ever. The two
men smiled as they went out, as though they were saying to
themselves,--"Queer little piece to have all that money!"

Mr. Gardiner took a great many words to explain to Adelle that her
guardians had thought it best "after due consideration" to send her to
an excellent boarding-school for young ladies--Herndon Hall. He rolled
the name with an unction he had learned from his wife. Herndon Hall, it
seemed, was in a neighboring State, not far from the great city of New
York, and Adelle must prepare herself for her first long railroad
journey. She would not have to take this alone, however, for Miss
Thompson, the head teacher, had telephoned the trust company that she
herself would be in B---- on the following Friday and would escort Miss
Clark to the Hall. Adelle could be ready, of course, by Friday.

Here Adelle demurred. There were the roomers--what would happen to them?
And the old Church Street house--what was to become of the house? The
banker waved aside these practical woman's considerations with a smile.
Some one would be sent out from the trust company to look after all such
unimportant matters. So, intimidated rather than persuaded, Adelle left
the trust company building to prepare herself for her new life that was
to begin on the following Friday noon.

They were accustomed to doing large things in the Washington Trust
Company, and of course they did small things in a large way. But the
little orphan's fate had really been the subject of more consideration
than might possibly be inferred from the foregoing. The school matter
had been carefully canvassed among the officers of the company. Mr.
Gardiner had expressed some doubts as to the wisdom of sending Adelle at
once to a large, fashionable school, even if she had the money to pay
for it. Vague glimmerings of reason as to what really might make for the
little girl's happiness in life troubled him, even after his wife's
unhesitating verdict. But President West had no doubts whatever and
easily bore down his scruples. He belonged to a slightly superior class
socially and did not hold Herndon Hall in the same awe in which it was
regarded in the Gardiner household. His daughters had friends who had
got what education they had under Miss Annette Thompson and had married
well afterwards and "taken a good position in society," which was really
the important thing. Miss Thompson herself was of