, I wish I knew who this is.'

He had taken up a very small coin, much less than a three-cent piece,
and with the help of a magnifying glass was studying it eagerly.

'Why?' said Esther.

'It is such a beautiful head! Wonderfully beautiful, and old. Crowned,
and with a small peaked beard; but the name is so worn off. On the
other side "Justitia." Queen Esther, this box is a first-rate place to
study history.'

'Is it?'

'It is. What do you say? Suppose you let me come here and study history
with you over these old coins; and then you come over to my house and
learn Latin with me. Hey?'

He glanced up, and Esther looked at him with a wondering, grave,
inquiring face. He nodded in answer and smiled, a little quizzically.

'What do you mean, Pitt?'

'There was a wise man once, who said, the use of language is to conceal
one's thoughts. I hope you are not labouring under the impression that
such is _my_ practice and belief?'

'But would you teach me?' said the girl gravely.

'If your majesty approves.'

'I think it would be very troublesome to you?'

'I, on the contrary, think it would not.'

'But it would after a little while?' said Esther.

'When I want to stop, I'll let you know.'

'Will you? Would you?'

'Both would and will.'

The girl's face grew intense with life, yet without losing its gravity.

'When, Pitt? When would you teach me, I mean?'

'I should say, every day; wouldn't you?'

'And you'll come here to study the coins?'

'And teach you what I learn.'

'Oh! And you'll give me Latin lessons? Lessons to study?'

'Certainly.'

'And we will study history over the coins?'

'Don't you think it will be a good way? Here's a coin of Maria Theresa,
now: 1745, Hungary and Boehmen, that is Bohemia. This old piece of
copper went through the Seven Years' war.'

'What war was that?'

'Oh, we'll read about it, Queen Esther. "Ad usum," "Belgae, Austria."
These coins are delightful. See here--don't you want to go for a walk?'

'Oh yes! I've had one walk to-day already, and it just makes me want
another. Did you see my flowers?'

She jumped up and brought them to him.

'Here's the liverleaf, and anemone, and bloodroot; and we couldn't find
the columbine, but it must be out. Christopher calls them all sorts of
hard names, that I can't remember.'

'_Anemone_ is anemone, at any rate. These two, Esther, this and the
_Hepatica_, belong to one great family, the family of the
Crowfoots--Ranuncul