a house at Lakeside, for
the summer. And he has bought the new mills just over the river. That is
to give young Paul something to do, I imagine. Kinnicutt has begun to
grow; and when places or people once take a start, there's no knowing
what they may come to. Here's something for you, Faithie, that I dare
say tells all about it."

And he tossed over her shoulder, upon the table, a letter, bearing her
name, in Margaret Rushleigh's chirography, upon the cover.

Faith's head was bent over the list she was writing; but the vexatious
color, feeling itself shielded in her face, crept round till it made her
ear tips rosy. Saidie put out her forefinger, with a hardly perceptible
motion, at the telltale sign, and nodded at Aunt Etherege behind her
sister's back.

Aunt Etherege looked bland and sagacious.

Upstairs, a little after, these sentences were spoken in Saidie's room.

"Of course it will be," said the younger to the elder lady. "It's been
going on ever since they were children. Faith hasn't a right to say no,
now. And what else brought him up here after houses and mills?"

"I don't see that the houses and mills were necessary to the object.
Rather cumbersome and costly machinery, I should think, to bring to bear
upon such a simple purpose."

"Oh, the business plan is something that has come up accidentally, no
doubt. Running after one thing, people very often stumble upon another.
But it will all play in together, you'll see. Only, I'm afraid I shan't
have the glory of introducing Faithie in New York!"

"It would be as good a thing as possible. And I can perceive that your
father and mother count upon it, also. In their situation what a great
relief it would be! Of course, Henderson never could do so mad a thing
as take the child up by the roots, again, and transplant her to San
Francisco! And I see plainly he has got that in his own head."

A door across the passage at this moment shut, softly, but securely.

Behind it, in her low chair by her sewing table sat the young sister
whose fate had been so lightly decreed.

Was it all just so, as Saidie had said? Had she no longer a right to say
no? Only themselves know how easily, how almost inevitably, young
judgments and consciences are drawn on in the track beaten down for them
by others. Many and many a life decision has been made, through this
_taking for granted_ that bears with its mute, but magnetic power, upon
the shyness and irresolution that can scarc