etherill's. And
she began to lay aside her Quaker plainness and frequented Christ
Church; indeed, though she was not very gay as yet, she was a great
attraction at the house of her relative.

Before the summer ended an event occurred that gave her still greater
freedom of action. This was a legacy from England left to the Wardour
branch in the New World, and as there were but three heirs, her portion
was a very fair one. There was some talk of Madam Wetherill taking her
to England, but the cold weather came on, and there seemed so many
things to settle. That winter she went over to the world's people
altogether.

"I think, Bessy, you should make a will," said Madam Wetherill as they
were talking seriously one day. "It will not bring about death any
sooner. I have had mine made this fifteen years, and am hale and hearty.
But, if anything should happen, the child will be delivered over to the
Henrys and brought up in the drab-colored mode of belief. It seems hard
for little ones so full of life."

"She must have her free choice of religion. Having tried both," and
Bessy gave a dainty smile, "I like my own Church the best. If she should
grow up and fall in love with a Friend, she can do as she likes. There
are not many as manly and handsome as was Philemon. Indeed I think they
make their lives too sad-colored, too full of work. I should go wild if
I lost my little one, but Lois Henry goes about as if nothing had
happened. I found it a luxury to grieve for Philemon. There is wisdom in
thy suggestion."

A lawyer was sent for and the matter laid before him. She could appoint
another guardian now that she had money of her own to leave the child,
and she could consign it part of the time to that guardian's care.

There was much consultation before the matter was settled. And though,
when the time came, she moved some chests of goods out to the farm and
made a pretense of settling, she and Madam Wetherill soon after went up
to New York and were gone three full months.

James Henry found himself circumvented in a good many ways by woman's
wit. There was no dispute between them, and much as he objected to the
ways of the world's people, he had no mind to defraud his small niece
out of a considerable fortune that might reasonably come to her. Indeed
he began to be a little afraid of Bessy Henry's willfulness. And she
might marry and leave all of her money to a new set of children.

But fate ordered it otherwise. Bessy went