know I do not know where any of our money comes from, except
the interest on the price of the sale at Seaforth.'

'I do not know where any _more_ is to come from.'

'Then, papa, don't you think it would be good to let my schooling stop
here?'

'No.'

'Papa, I want to make a very serious proposition to you. Do not laugh
at me' (the colonel looked like anything but laughing), 'but listen to
me patiently. You know we _cannot_ go on permanently as we have done
this year, paying out more than we took in?'

'That is my affair.'

'But it is for my sake, papa, and so it comes home to me. Now this is
my proposal. I have really had schooling enough. Let me give lessons.'

'Let you do _what?_'

'Lessons, papa; let me give lessons. I have not spoken to Miss
Fairbairn, but I am almost sure she would be glad of me; one of her
teachers is going away. I could give lessons in Latin and French and
English and drawing, and still have time to study; and I think it would
make up perhaps all the deficiency in our income.'

The colonel looked at her. 'You have not spoken of this scheme to
anybody else?'

'No, sir; of course not.'

'Then, do not speak of it.'

'You do not approve of it, papa?'

'No. My purpose in giving you an education was not that you might be a
governess.'

'But, papa, it would not hurt me to be a governess for a while; it
would do me no sort of hurt; and it would help our finances. There is
another thing I could teach--mathematics.'

'I have settled that question,' said the colonel, going back to his
book.

'Papa,' said the girl after a pause, 'may I give lessons enough to pay
for the lessons that are given me?'

'No.'

'But, papa, it troubles me very much, the thought that we are living
beyond our means; and on my account.' And Esther now looked troubled.

'Leave all that to me.'

Well, it was all very well to say, 'Leave that to me;' but Esther had a
strong impression that matters of this sort, so left, would not meet
very thorough attention. There was an interval here of some length,
during which she was pondering and trying to get up her courage to go
on.

'Papa,'--she broke the silence doubtfully,--'I do not want to disturb
you, but I must speak a little more. Perhaps you can explain; I want to
understand things better. Papa, do you know Barker has still less money
now to do the marketing with than she had last year?'

'Well, what do you want explained?' The tone was dry and not
encoura