y,
and could only leave the school at night. So she sat up the greater part
of the evening, and combed her silken hair, and, as far as her strength
would allow, made an undress toilet to receive her guest. "We must not
frighten the child, Jack," she said apologetically, and with something
of her old coquetry.

It was with a feeling of relief, that, at ten o'clock, Jack received a
message from the landlord, saying that the doctor would like to see
him for a moment down stairs. As Jack entered the grim, dimly-lighted
parlor, he observed the hooded figure of a woman near the fire. He was
about to withdraw again, when a voice that he remembered very pleasantly
said,--

"Oh, it's all right! I'm the doctor."

The hood was thrown back; and Prince saw the shining black hair, and
black, audacious eyes, of Kate Van Corlear.

"Don't ask any questions. I'm the doctor and there's my prescription,"
and she pointed to the half-frightened, half-sobbing Carry in the
corner--"to be taken at once."

"Then Mrs. Tretherick has given her permission?"

"Not much, if I know the sentiments of that lady," replied Kate saucily.

"Then how did you get away?" asked Prince gravely.

"BY THE WINDOW."

When Mr. Prince had left Carry in the arms of her stepmother, he
returned to the parlor.

"Well?" demanded Kate.

"She will stay--YOU will, I hope, also--to-night."

"As I shall not be eighteen, and my own mistress on the 20th, and as I
haven't a sick stepmother, I won't."

"Then you will give me the pleasure of seeing you safely through the
window again?"

When Mr. Prince returned an hour later, he found Carry sitting on a low
stool at Mrs. Starbottle's feet. Her head was in her stepmother's lap;
and she had sobbed herself to sleep. Mrs. Starbottle put her finger
to her lip. "I told you she would come. God bless you, Jack! and
good-night."

The next morning Mrs. Tretherick, indignant, the Rev. Asa Crammer,
principal, injured, and Mr. Joel Robinson, sen., complacently
respectable, called upon Mr. Prince. There was a stormy meeting, ending
in a demand for Carry. "We certainly cannot admit of this interference,"
said Mrs. Tretherick, a fashionably dressed, indistinctive looking
woman. "It is several days before the expiration of our agreement; and
we do not feel, under the circumstances, justified in releasing
Mrs. Starbottle from its conditions." "Until the expiration of the
school-term, we must consider Miss Tretherick as complying