e gives
her orders carefully," he remarked.

"I've started in giving them since Aunt Milly's illness," said Elsie
shyly. "Katy doesn't mind. I learned how at school, and I keep them
in a little book so as to compare them with the bills at the end of the
month."

"Elsie Moss, you are certainly a trump!" he cried. "Do let me see your
book, dear."

She produced it and he examined the neat items with interest, praising
her warmly and seeming greatly cheered already. And then the girl made
an effort and mentioned a sum of five hundred dollars which she had on
hand and wished he would use.

"My dear child!" he cried, smiling tenderly, "I wouldn't touch your
money for the world. The truth is, I ought to pay you a salary as
housekeeper and pastor's assistant, though I couldn't begin to
compensate you for the better part. You have been like the daughter of
the household, or such a sister as your mother was."

The following day Mrs. Middleton regained consciousness, and the next
day the minister went into Boston and made arrangements to secure the
money to meet his obligations by reducing his life-insurance policy
one-half and disposing of some bonds. That evening they drew checks
and settled everything in full. Thereafter Elsie gave the orders,
checked the accounts at the end of the month, and made out the checks
for Mr. Middleton to sign. On the whole she did remarkably well and
reduced the general expenses considerably. She made mistakes, but they
were few; for her mind was of the type that takes to figures and
details, and she was naturally methodical and accurate. Mr. Middleton
smiled at the neat little packets of receipted bills, docketed and
filed, but he was extravagantly grateful to her for all that.

Mrs. Middleton gained slowly. One day, a fortnight or more after she
was convalescent, the minister came to Elsie with a good-sized check in
his hand made out to her. The girl looked at him in amazement, filled
with vague dismay.

"For your winter clothes, Elsie," he explained. "Aunt Milly reminded
me. In fact, she rather scolded me for not thinking of it earlier.
And she suggests that you get one of the schoolgirls and go into Boston
for a day's shopping on Saturday."

Elsie paled--she had begun to show a pretty color of late. This was
her first realization of the discomfort of a false position. Long
since, Mr. Middleton had come to seem her real uncle, and her affection
for him was as deep as i