Year: 1879

school with her, had suggested, thought
Hetty his hair would serve instead of
light


But It was little too bad to make
fun of Elkanah, she reflected, the next
moment, for he was so good, and so
devoted to her, and had waited upon
her like a bond slave ever since she was
a baby, while she had teased and snub-
bed him necessarily. She had never
even thought that 1t was to bad to make
fun of him before, but her heart was a
little softened today by the thought that
she was leaving home, perhaps never to
return.


Before many miles were passed over,
the thought of Elkanah, and even of all
her friends and her home, was banished
by visions of the gay delights to which
she was going.


Derby was country town, slow-going
and old-fashioned; and, except to
boarding-school in another town of the
very same pattern, Hetty had never
been away from it in her life. But in
the boarding-sc were great many
city young ladies, and Hetty had picked
up ideas of living that made Derby very
distasteful to her. For five years she
had been an orphan, without brothers
or sisters, and had lived with Aunt
Maria, an "antiquated aunt" whose
eccentricity was only equaled by her
kindness of heart. Aunt Verdervere-
otherwise Sarah Ann - had written,
asking her to spend the winter with her
in New York, and to live with her
altogether If they suited each other"
Aunt Vandervere was Aunt Maria g
half sister, but they were "no more
alike than black was white," according
to Aunt Maria. "Sarah Ann" was q
worldly and ambitious young woman,
who had married man old enough to
be her grandfather for the sake of his
money and position, and had become a
leader in New York society. She was a
widow, now, and lonely" and wished
her niece to live with her. Aunt Maria
shifted contemptuously at the idea of
Sarah AIMS loneliness" and declared
openly that she wanted Hetty only be-
cause she had heard that she was a
beauty and an heiress.


Hetty had whole seat in the car to
herself, and made herself very comfort
able, with all the bags and shawls and
bundles which Aunt Maria had forced
upon her carefully disposed around her,
and new magazine open in her hand;
and, thus equipped, she occupied her.
self, not with reading, but with gay
visions of the future before her.


The train gradually filled up, as it
stopped at the various stations, and
presently gentleman presented himself
beside Hetty's seat, with an elaborate
bow, and an air of great Difference.


'I am very sorry to disturb you, but
there is not another unoccupied seat on
the train," he said. If you will allow
me to occupy this seat besides you'-


Hetty gave little nod of assent; the
more graciously that she had stolen a
glance at him, and discovered him to be
very elegant young man. Not hand
some exactly; his Roman nose was too
2orononce, and his chin too sharp for
that; but his dark, expressive eyes, and
his aristocratic air, made him very in
teresting to Hetty. However, she re-
membered the warnings she had receiv-
ed with regard to making acquaintances
on the cars, and looked demurely on her
magazine, or meditatively out of the
window, while the young man buried
himself in newspaper, with apparent
Inconsistencies of her existence.


Early in the afternoon they stopped
at a station where they were allowed
ten minutes for refreshments" The
interesting young man who shared
Hetty's seat sprang to his feet with the
=" do or die'' expression common to the
masculine traveller under such circum-
stances and rushed for the door; then
turned suddenly, and looked at Hetty.


"Will you allow me to bring you
something?" he said, with another of
those deferential bows which Hetty
thought almost irresistible.


Deacon Eastman's warning flashed
across her mind, just in time. She
would have liked to accept graciously
that polite offer, but, instead, she replied
with dignity and primness that would
have rejoiced Aunt Maria's heart.


No, thank you. 1 have lunch
with me-"


And the young man bowed again, and
Il