r. Then, when a child is fourteen she is allowed to
choose her guardians. I shall stand in that capacity for the next two
years. I shall arrange matters with my legal man in New York, so that,
even if anything should happen to me she would have her two years at
school. People lose their wits, sometimes."

"I don't believe you will lose yours. You're wonderfully well kept," he
said with blunt admiration. "Well, I d'know as we could do anything if
we wanted to. Mother's had other plans for her, but the child didn't
fall in with them. She was mighty glad to come over here. There isn't
much Mulford about her," with an abrupt sort of laugh. "We never just
got along with her father, but he was a good enough sort of man. We've
tried to do by Helen as one of our own, and Mother would now. But I
can't think it would be quite right to stand in the child's way."

"No, it would not," decisively. "She has her life to live, and you can't
do that for her. She has some fine natural gifts which it would be a sin
to traverse. I will have my lawyer draw up an agreement that you will
not interfere during the next two years----"

"But are we not to see her?" he interrupted, quite aghast at the
prospect.

"Yes; you may visit her, and she can spend her vacations at home, and
write as often as she has time. I should change my opinion of her if she
was glad to go away, and forget you altogether. I am sure, then, I could
not trust her gratitude to me," she said decisively.

"No, ma'am, that you couldn't," he subjoined earnestly. "Helen isn't
that kind, I'm sure. And we wouldn't like to have her go out of our
lives altogether."

"I should not desire her to."

"But, ma'am, after she's had all this fine living and everything, I'm
afraid we'll seem very common. You don't think she'd better go to
school here, and keep nearer her own folks?"

"Well, the other plan seems best to me. But after she has tried it a
year, if she doesn't like it she shall be at liberty to come back to
Hope."

"That's fair, I'm sure. Thank you, ma'am. And I don't just know what to
say, only that I think it's mighty generous of you, though she's welcome
to my home and all I have. I've never grudged her a penny."

"I am sure of that. Will you explain the matter to your wife? The
agreement will come next week. And at the last I shall take her to New
York to be fitted out with clothes. If there is any point you do not
quite understand I shall be very willing to explai