ept an invitation from you to travel
in Europe for a time. I would appear to oppose it at first, but
gradually yield to your persuasions, and, later, I would myself join you
abroad and relieve you of your charge. Once get her across the Atlantic,
and it will be an easy matter to keep her there until she comes to our
terms."

Mrs. Hawley readily lent herself to this scheme.

"It would be a great pity," she said, with a little intentional venom
pointing her words, "to have Violet sacrifice herself and compromise her
position by rashly marrying this low carpenter; and," she added,
eagerly, "I should be delighted to have her with me--she is excellent
company, while, as you know, I am quite fond of her, and it will be the
easiest thing in the world to persuade her to go with us."

"Do you think so?" Mrs. Mencke asked, somewhat doubtfully, for she began
to stand a little in awe of her young sister's rapidly developing
decision of character.

"Yes; Violet and Nellie Bailey are quite intimate, are they not?" Mrs.
Hawley asked.

"Yes; they were firm friends all through their high-school course, and
have visited each other a good deal since," returned Mrs. Mencke.

"Well, then, Mrs. Bailey came to me yesterday, asking if I would act as
chaperon to Nellie, who has long wanted to spend a year in Milan to
study music, and, as I readily granted her request, Miss Nellie will be
my companion during at least a portion of my tour."

"I do not believe Violet knows anything about it," Mrs. Mencke replied.

"Very likely not; for her mother told me she had said nothing to
Nellie--that she did not wish to arouse hopes to disappoint them, until
she could arrange for a proper escort for her," Mrs. Hawley explained.
"But," she added, "she probably knows it by this time. However, I am
going to call there this evening, to arrange our plans a little, and
will come around to your house later. I will try to bring Nellie with
me. She will be full of the trip, and doubtless express a wish that
Violet could go with her; and I will second her wishes by at once
inviting her to make one of our party. In this way we can bring it about
without appearing to have thought of such a thing before."

Mrs. Mencke was greatly pleased with this plan, and after discussing it
a while longer, she took leave of her friend, and returned home with a
lightened heart.

She met Violet at dinner-time, as if nothing unpleasant had occurred,
and did not once refer to