hat will happen after that, and I am not going to worry about it. You
can have all the years you are minded to take, and you will succeed, I
know."

The tone was buoyant, inspiriting. To Helen the prospect was enchanting.
Already she had learned what a factor money was, what a blessing to have
enough of it that one need not feel anxious about the future. She would
settle her plans at once. Stay three years here at Aldred House, then go
to college. During the four years there would be plenty of time to
arrange the rest. In her case it would be teaching.

"How comforting you are!" and there was both depth and sincerity in the
tone.

"Doesn't Mrs. Aldred advise you to go on?" Helen asked.

"Oh, yes. And Miss Grace has been very encouraging. But when I look at
the rest of you girls and hear your bright talk, I feel so out of
place."

"I have a belief that school is the help to enable us to find our right
places in the world if we take it up earnestly. I meant it shall help me
to find mine," confidently. "And I _do_ think, yes, I am sure it will
help you."

"I was so discouraged. I wrote to Mrs. Howard and she said stay by all
means. Indeed, I have no place to go to. Mrs. Davis is in Florida now.
Oh, I should like to travel!" and her face was roused almost to
enthusiasm.

"But you wouldn't want to be an ignorant traveler, either." And she
thought how Mrs. Van Dorn enjoyed and understood. She would have felt
still more encouraged for her compeer, had she known what Mrs. Van Dorn
was at nineteen.

They talked until it was dusk, when the bell rang and arm in arm they
went to the dining room. Miss Grace was placing girls together in a more
sociable fashion.

"Suppose you and Miss Beck come over here," she said with a little wave
of the hand to Miss Craven, and giving a nod to Miss Beck. "And Miss
Grant, I think you are put down for the hostess next month. Suppose you
begin now?"

Helen smiled and went to the head of the table. Miss Craven took her
seat next. "Oh," she murmured, deprecatingly, "I hope it will never come
my turn."

"Why, it is not much to do, only to see that everything comes right."

The girls talked of to-morrow. Miss Beck was an Episcopalian, and
described how prettily the little church was trimmed, how beautiful the
morning service had been, and that most of it would be repeated. In the
evening some anthems were to be sung and Phillips Brooks' beautiful
hymn, "Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem." An