Kenton would not allow to her or to himself that his hopes ran with
hers; love is not business with a man as it is with a woman; he feels it
indecorous and indelicate to count upon it openly, where she thinks it
simply a chance of life, to be considered like another. All that Kenton
would say was, "I see no reason for telling her just yet. She will have
to know in due time. But let her enjoy her freedom now."

"Yes," Mrs. Kenton doubtfully assented.

The judge was thoughtfully silent. Then he said: "Few girls could have
worked out her problem as Ellen has. Think how differently Lottie would
have done it!"

"Lottie has her good points, too," said Mrs. Kenton. "And, of course, I
don't blame Richard. There are all kinds of girls, and Lottie means no
more harm than Ellen does. She's the kind that can't help attracting;
but I always knew that Ellen was attractive, too, if she would only find
it out. And I knew that as soon as anything worth while took up her mind
she would never give that wretch another thought."

Kenton followed her devious ratiocinations to a conclusion which he
could not grasp. "What do you mean, Sarah?"

"If I only," she explained, in terms that did not explain, "felt as sure
of him as I do about him!"

Her husband looked densely at her. "Bittridge?"

"No. Mr. Breckon. He is very nice, Rufus. Yes, he is! He's been showing
me the map of Holland, and we've had a long talk. He isn't the way
we thought--or I did. He is not at all clerical, or worldly. And he
appreciates Ellen. I don't suppose he cares so much for her being
cultivated; I suppose she doesn't seem so to him. But he sees how wise
she is--how good. And he couldn't do that without being good himself!
Rufus! If we could only hope such a thing. But, of course, there are
thousands after him!"

"There are not thousands of Ellens after him," said the judge, before he
could take time to protest. "And I don't want him to suppose that she is
after him at all. If he will only interest her and help her to keep her
mind off herself, it's all I will ask of him. I am not anxious to part
with her, now that she's all ours again."

"Of course," Mrs. Kenton soothingly assented. "And I don't say that she
dreams of him in any such way. She can't help admiring his mind. But
what I mean is that when you see how he appreciates her, you can't help
wishing he could know just how wise, and just how good she is. It did
seem to me as if I would give almost any