trees toward the spot she
called her "home."

Bessie's momentary sadness quickly vanished as she engaged in a brisk
conversation with another girl about her own age, who was eager to
gossip about Miss Preston's approaching marriage, where she was going,
and what she was to wear. Lucy drew off from her companion as soon as
Nancy Parker joined them, partly from a real desire of thinking
quietly of her teacher's parting words, partly in proud disdain of
Bessie's frivolity. "How _can_ she go on so," she thought, "after what
Miss Preston has been saying?" But she forgot that disdain is as far
removed from the spirit of the loving and pitying Saviour as even the
frivolity she despised.

"Come, Lucy, don't be so stiff," said Nancy as they approached the
shady gate of the white house where Mr. Raymond lived; "can't you tell
us something about the wedding? You're going, aren't you?"

Nancy's pert, familiar tones grated upon Lucy's ear with unusual
harshness, and she replied, rather haughtily, that she knew scarcely
anything about it.

"Oh, no doubt you think yourself very grand," Nancy rejoined, "but I
can find out all about it from my aunt, and no thanks to you. Come on,
Bessie." Bessie, somewhat ashamed of her companion, and instinctively
conscious of Lucy's disapproval, stopped at the gate to exchange a
good-bye with her friend, who for the moment was not very cordial.

Thus Miss Preston and her class had separated, and future days alone
could reveal what had become of the seed she had tried to sow.

II.

_Lucy's Home._

"Is the heart a living power?
Self-entwined, its strength sinks low;
It can only live in loving,
And by serving, love will grow."

As Lucy passed in under the acacias which shaded the gate, she was met
by a pretty, graceful-looking girl about her own age, who, with her
golden hair floating on her shoulders and her hat swinging listlessly
in her hand, was wandering through the shrubbery.

"Why, Lucy," she exclaimed, "what a time you have been away! I've
tried everything I could think of to pass the time; looked over all
your books, and couldn't find a nice one I hadn't read; teased Alick
and Fred till they went off for peace, and pussy till she scratched my
arm. Just look there!"

But Lucy's mind had been too much absorbed to descend at once to the
level of her cousin's trifling tone; and having been vexed previously
at her refusal to accompany her to Sunday school,