ve suffered much."

"She has met with many hardships, sir, but she won't mind them now."

"If I live her future shall be brighter than her past. I will call
to-morrow. You, Philip, shall go with me."

"I should like to do so, sir. By the way, I met Alonzo on Broadway."

He detailed the conversation that had taken place between them.

"I am afraid he took the money," said Mr. Carter. "I am sorry any
relative of mine should have acted in that way. Let him keep it. Any
benefit he may derive from it will prove to have been dearly purchased."

CHAPTER XXVI.

A WONDERFUL CHANGE.

"You may order a carriage, Philip," said Mr. Carter the next morning.
"Pick out a handsome one with seats for four."

"Yes, sir."

In five minutes the carriage was at the door.

"Now, Philip, we will go to see my long-neglected niece, Mrs. Forbush.
Give the driver the necessary directions."

"Mrs. Forbush does not have many carriage-callers," said Philip,
smiling.

"Perhaps she will have more hereafter," said Mr. Carter, "I ought not
so long to have lost sight of her. I always liked Rebecca better than
Lavinia, yet I let the latter prejudice me against her cousin, who is
in disposition, education and sincerity her superior. You see, Philip,
there are old fools in the world as well as young ones."

"It is never too late to mend, Mr. Carter," said Phil, smiling.

"That's very true, even if it is a young philosopher who says it."

"I don't claim any originality for it, Mr. Carter."

"By the way, Philip, I have noticed that you always express yourself
very correctly. Your education must be good."

"Yes, sir, thanks to my father, or the man whom I always regarded as my
father. I am a fair Latin scholar, and know something of Greek."

"Were you preparing for college?" asked Mr. Carter, with interest.

"Yes, sir."

"Would you like to go?"

"I should have gone had father lived, but my step-mother said it was
foolishness and would be money thrown away."

"Perhaps she preferred to incur that expense for her own son?" suggested
the old gentleman.

"Jonas wouldn't consent to that. He detests study, and would decidedly
object to going to college."

"By the way, you haven't heard from them lately?"

"Only that they have left our old home and gone no one knows where."

"That is strange."

By this time they had reached the humble dwelling occupied by Mrs.
Forbush.

"And so this is where Rebecca lives?" said Mr. Carter.

"Ye