us.

"I hoped you would choose her, for her own good. Yes, I have been
noticing the sort of intimacy, the first preference she has evinced for
anyone, though I think you must have kindly made the overtures."

Helen flushed brightly, but did not emphasize her claim.

"I have been much puzzled over the case. My daughter Grace and I have
discussed it frequently, and in some ways I have felt very much
discouraged. A friend besought me to take her, explaining that she was a
simple-hearted country girl, who had had no advantages of education and
was extremely anxious to be fitted for her position; that she was afraid
she had fallen into the wrong hands, her guardian's wife being a rather
pretentious woman of fashion. Miss Craven is a somewhat curious compound
of qualities, and on several lines remarkably intelligent, but clearly
she does not make the best use of that quality."

Mrs. Aldred had been watching the changes in Helen's face as she talked,
wondering if this girl, not yet fifteen, could comprehend. And now she
paused as if expecting some comment.

"She is so afraid of nearly everything, everybody," began Helen. "And
yet I think it took real courage to try school life----" and she paused,
glancing up with some hesitation.

"That was the point that commended her to me. Mrs. Davis was opposed to
it and suggested private teachers. Mrs. Howard thought she desired to
keep the whole control and supervision of the girl, and I, too, consider
it a brave resolve on her part. I was very much interested in Mrs.
Howard's account, though I had in my mind the ordinary country girl
whose education had been neglected. And when she came I really was
puzzled to know where to place her. She could not affiliate with the
girls of her age, and it would be too mortifying to be put with those so
much younger. So there was nothing but for her to find her own level, to
choose or be chosen by some friendly disposed girl. She will make an
excellent scholar in time. She is very modest. I could wish she had not
quite so much humility. One would never suppose she was an heiress
already, having a much larger income than she can spend now, and the
certainty of being a rich woman five years hence. But she has a great
fear of being tolerated for the money's sake. There are girls who would
make it a strong point. So it seems as if in this friendship matter I
had to let her quite alone, though I have thought of two or three girls
who might take her