his daughter."

"Come, now, young lady, don't abuse your old father in that insinuating
manner, for he won't stand it, and as for your vanity, you don't
overstate it a bit; but we'll see whether the inhabitants of Hollowmell
won't contrive to rid you of some of that."

"Just one thing, papa," said Minnie, as she kissed and thanked him
again, before retiring for the night. "Please keep it a secret from the
boys. You know how they would tease me about it if they knew."

"Very well, it is not likely it would have occurred to me to mention it
to them, but it is just as well to be on guard. When do you begin
operations?"

"As soon as we can have everything in working order."

"Well, here's some money to start with, and see you make a good use of
it. We'll arrange about your own money when I have more time."

Minnie ran off with her prize--a bright, golden sovereign--and found
herself scarcely able to sleep that night for dreaming of the wonders
which were to be affected through her agency in Hollowmell.

Next day she only saw Mabel for a few minutes as they came out of
church, but even that short time was sufficient for the communication of
a whispered account of her success, the narration of which afforded
Mabel quite as much delight as its accomplishment had afforded Minnie.
It is just possible, indeed, that the consideration of their project
occupied rather more of their attention on that day, at least, than the
sermon did. Mabel had to take herself to task severely several times
during the afternoon service, and Minnie, without thinking very much
about it, found herself mixing up the Epistle to the Galatians with a
homily to be delivered to the inhabitants of Hollowmell upon some
important occasion, the exact nature of which she had not yet clearly
settled in her mind.

Next day there was more than one "phiz" between Minnie and Mona, owing
to the fact that Minnie's mind was so entirely occupied by her new
undertaking, that she could not manage to give more than a small part of
her attention to her lessons. This was a matter of no small
gratification to Mona, who was rather more profuse, in consequence, with
her sharp remarks, which Minnie was in no mood to brook patiently.

Some of Minnie's books were lost as usual, when at last she was free to
go, for although she had tried, and been pretty successful too, in
keeping her books together since her promise to do so, they sometimes
reverted to their old habit of g