"

Alexina began to blush again, for the Major was so edified at
something that his enjoyment was suspicious.

"But no man is expected to live down to his editorials, Miss Alexina;
I write 'em for a living."

He stroked his chin as he regarded her, but there was laughter too
out of the tail of his eye across at Aunt Harriet, who was laughing
also, though she looked teased.

Later Alexina learned more about this Major Rathbone. It was Emily
Carringford who told her. Emily came over promptly the day after
Alexina's return and, admitted by Katy, ran up as of old.

Alexina, hearing her name called, turned from a melee of unpacking as
the other reached the open doorway.

"Oh, Emily," she said, and stood and gazed.

Emily stood, too, archly, and, meeting Alexina's look, laughed. Her
blush was an acknowledgment; she did not even pretend to misunderstand
Alexina's meaning.

"Aunt Harriet told me how--how lovely you were, and Uncle Austen told
me last night that my friend, Miss Emily, he considered an 'unusually
good-looking woman--a handsome woman, in fact.'" The niece had her
uncle's every conciseness of tone as she quoted. "But somehow with it
all, I wasn't prepared--"

She came forward with hands out.

Emily forgot to take the hands. "Did he say that, really, Alexina?"

"Yes; why shouldn't he? Oh, Emily, it must be joy, or does it frighten
you to know you're so beautiful?"

She was letting her fingers touch, almost with awe, the curve of the
other's check.

Emily laughed, but the crimson on the cheek deepened.

"And your voice?" demanded Alexina. "I want to hear you sing. Did you
get the place in the choir you wrote me about?"

"Miss Harriet got it for me; it was she who suggested it--that is, she
got Mr. Blair to get it for me. It's at your church, you know."

"Uncle Austen? No. Did he, really?"

But the surprise in Alexina's voice was unfair to her uncle. To help
people to the helping of themselves was part of his creed. He looked
upon it as a furthering of the general social economy, as indeed he
had pointed out more than once to those he was thus assisting.

But Alexina had many things to ask. She pushed Emily into a chair.

"Is it pleasant--the choir?" she began.

"Pleasant? Well," Emily looked away and coloured, "I like the money;
I've never been able to have any clothes before. There was a scene at
home about it--my singing, I mean, in any but my own church, and for
money. It was grandfather,