placed there?"

"Really, child," said Mrs. Hopkins, "I don't know. The wilfullness of
young folks in these days is past enduring. But you had better clearly
understand, Susy, that if for any reason you are dismissed from the
school there is nothing whatever for you but to take a place as a
servant; and that you wouldn't like."

"I should think not, indeed. Well, mother, to avoid all these
consequences I must go as fast as I can to see Aunt Church."

CHAPTER XVIII.

SUSY HOPKINS PERSUADES AUNT CHURCH.

Mrs. Hopkins said nothing more. Susy saw that she could have her own
way, and as soon as dinner was over, without even waiting to help her
mother to put the place in order, she started on her walk. She felt
pleased and self-important. The day was a frosty one, and the sunset
promised to be glorious. The road to Mrs. Church's house was flat and
long and pleasant to walk on. Susy had no particular eye for pretty
views, or she might have pleased herself with the wonderful tints of the
sky, and the autumnal shades which had not altogether deserted the
neighboring woods. Susy's thoughts, however, were occupied with very
different matters.

"Mother is always grumbling," she said to herself; "and for that matter,
so is Tom. As if I'd demean myself by taking a place! The idea of my
being a servant. Why, I know I shall do very well in the future. I look
high. I mean to be a lady, as good as the best. Would Miss Kathleen
O'Hara take so much notice of me if I was not a very nice, lady-like sort
of a girl? I am sure no one could look sweeter than I do in my pale-blue
blouse. Even Tom says so. He said I looked very genteel, and that he'd
like his great friend, Walter Amber, to see me. I don't want to have
anything to do with Tom's friends. Poor Tom! if mother can apprentice
him to somebody, that is the most that can be expected. But as for me,
the very lowest position I intend to take in life in the future is that
of a teacher. I shall probably be a teacher in this very school, and get
my couple of hundred a year. A place indeed! Poor dear mother doesn't
know what she is talking about."

Occupied with her own thoughts, the road did not turn out long to Susy.
She reached Mrs. Church's very humble abode between three and four
o'clock. It was still daylight. The little old lady was seated in her
window; she looked very much, surprised when she saw Susy, and limped to
the door and opened it.

"Come in, Susy Hopkins," she