be glad to see her enter a class with
Muriel and pursue the same studies, and that such an arrangement
would be entirely agreeable to Miss Dexter; but she declined the
proposition, saying she would only trouble the latter to teach her
Italian. Do you know why she is so anxious to acquire that language?"

"No; to tell you the truth, I know less and less every day about her
actions, for the child has suddenly grown very reserved. This morning
she was walking up and down the library with her hands behind her and
her eyes looking as if they were travelling to Jericho or Jeddo, and
when I asked her why she was so unusually silent, she snapped like a
toy-torpedo, 'I am silent because this is one of my wicked days, and I
am fighting the devil; and if I open my lips I shall say something
that will give him the victory.' I held out my hand to her and begged
her to come and sit by me and tell me what troubled or tempted
her,--and what do you suppose she said?"

"Something, I am afraid, that I shall be sorry to hear you repeat."

"She laid her hand on her heart and answered, 'You are very good, Miss
Jane, but you can no more help me than the disciples could relieve
that wretch whom only Christ healed.' '_This kind goeth not out but by
prayer and fasting._' Whereupon, she snatched a book from the table
and left the room. I did not see her for several hours, and when I met
her in the hall, a few moments since, I said, 'Well, dear, which won
the victory, sin or my little girl?' She put her hands on my
shoulders, laughed bitterly, and answered, 'It was a drawn battle.
Neither has much to boast of, and we lie on our arms watching--nay,
glaring at each other. Let me be quiet a little while, and don't ask
me about it.'"

"Can you conjecture the cause of the present trouble?"

"I have a suspicion."

Miss Jane paused, sighed, and frowned.

"I should think you might persuade her to confide in you."

"Pooh! Persuade her? I would quite as soon undertake to persuade the
Andes to dance a jig as attempt to discover what she has determined
not to divulge. If you knew her as well as I do, you would appreciate
the uselessness of trying to persuade her to do anything. But you men
never see what lies right under your noses, and I believe if you lived
in the same house with that child for five years longer you would
understand her as little as you do to-day. Ulpian, shut the door, and
sit down here close to me."

Dr. Grey complied; and, la