strength to take you away and give you a season.
I wouldn't be jealous, my dear, but proud of all your conquests. But I
fear it's out of the question."

"Yes," Hertha made haste to say, "you couldn't possibly, though it is
very kind of you to want to."

"It's hard your not having any near relations. I'd love to have you stay
with me, but I can understand your leaving. You're white and you don't
want to remain where you've been black. But when you get North, don't
make the mistake of lowering your social position, Hertha."

Hertha made no response, and then Miss Witherspoon, who had kept silent
as long as was humanly possible burst out: "It is natural that Miss
Merryvale and I should not agree on this matter, Hertha, but as long as
you are going to live in the North I want you to understand northern
conditions. I really believe you will be more likely to marry and to
marry happily if you think nothing about it. Take up work that interests
you and that you can do well. When you can take care of yourself then
you may accept the man who wants to take care of you."

"Well, of all the extraordinary pieces of advice," Miss Patty murmured.
But at this point Hertha arose and announced that she was going to her
room.

Once by herself she drew a sigh of relief. These two women, she feared,
would drive her to do something desperate. She had at once accepted Miss
Witherspoon's invitation to travel with her to the North and had been
grateful for her suggestions as to her education; but she had not
expected to have everything arranged before she set foot in Boston. She
would have preferred to look about and to plan for herself. Of Miss
Patty's scheming she gave no thought, she was not in a humor to consider
getting married; but her future career did interest her and she could
but wish that it did not have an equal interest for Miss Witherspoon.
Would she want to be closely in touch with this energetic woman? She
reminded her of a teacher she had had at school, a Miss Smith--also from
Boston. Miss Smith, who was a terror to the idler or the dreamer, had
never missed a day from her work for twenty-two years. Was Miss
Witherspoon like that? She was very particular about her room. Would all
the people in Boston be so thorough and so emphatic?

She bestirred herself for a few minutes and then sat down idly by the
window. She could see the broad stream and against the sky was a line of
birds. They were too far away at first for her to