little girls. She had a beautiful house in a pretty, refined town, but
there was a considerable mortgage on it. Mrs. Van Dorn had come to her
assistance; she was not all selfishness. With a little aid, Mrs. Aldred
had established herself in a day and boarding school, had added to her
house, and become the pride of the pretty town of Westchester. One act
of Mrs. Aldred had gone to her old cousin's heart. She had paid the
whole sum loaned, interest and principal, and sent the most heartfelt
thanks. She was a prosperous and happy woman, and her girls were growing
up into usefulness, one was teaching, the other would be an artist.
There was no hint or suggestion that she should like to be remembered in
anyone's will, or would be grateful for any gift. The principle of the
incident really touched Mrs. Van Dorn, who paid Mrs. Aldred a visit, and
on her departure left her what she called a little gift in token of her
courage and business ability, a check for a thousand dollars.

"I'm going to take the good of what I have," she announced with a rather
grim smile, "so I shall have the less to leave behind when I die."

That had been five years ago. Now Mrs. Van Dorn had written to know if
the school was still prosperous, and what the terms were, and if she
would take the supervision of an orphan girl who was ambitious, eager,
capable of many things, a girl full of bright promise, amiable in
temper, who was to be trained to get her own living if that came to her,
but accomplished for society, if that should be her lot.

After her talk with Mr. Warfield she had made up her mind. He should not
have his way in this matter. She would try her hand, or her money with
this girl. She was going abroad again for the next year or two, and she
would give Helen two years of education under Mrs. Aldred's supervision.
Then she would decide if she wanted her, and in what capacity.

Fourteen only. Twenty would be young enough to marry. She would have six
years of interest. If the girl came to love her very much----

The poor old heart had a hungering for ardent love, as well as
admiration. And Helen Grant _was_ grateful. To rescue her from a
distasteful life like that at her uncle's, or a life of drudgery working
her way through school would appeal to her, for Mrs. Van Dorn had
discerned that the girl had a great hungry heart for all the accessories
of finer living, though she did not know what the vague restless
stirring within meant.

Th