shall open an account for
you at the National Bank and you can draw on that for your expenses.
Your aunt will initiate you into the mysteries of shopping. By the way,
you must have gone through that experience in Barbadoes. How did you
manage there?"

Evadne turned her head away and clenched her hands tightly as the flood
of bitter-sweet memories threatened to engulf her.

"Papa always went with me," she said slowly, "whatever he liked I
chose."

Judge Hildreth gave a sigh of relief. He had extricated himself from a
difficult position with diplomatic skill. It did not occur to him that a
lie which is half the truth is the meanest kind of a lie. He had
acquainted his niece with all that was necessary for her to know at
present, and at the same time left himself a loophole of escape from the
imputation of disregarding his brother's wishes. When she became old
enough to assume the responsibility, and he got his affairs straightened
out sufficiently to admit of transferring to her care the funds which
were so absolutely essential to his present success, he would put Evadne
in full possession of her inheritance. Results had proved the wisdom of
his decision. By her own acknowledgment his niece had never given a
thought to the subject. His brother's plan would be a height of
imprudence from which he was bound to shield her.

In Evadne's mind also thought was busy. "Money is one of the greatest
things in the world," her uncle had said, and she had read that morning,
"tongues shall cease, and knowledge shall be done away, but love never
faileth. Now abideth faith, hope, and love; the greatest of these is
love." Was Louis right? Did Christians and the Bible not agree? And the
business of _her_ life was to find Jesus Christ. Was there any money in
that?

When they reached Hollywood, where Judge Hildreth had business with Mr.
Hawthorne, Evadne was in an ecstasy of silent rapture. She had never
dreamed what a New England farm might be. Its varied beauty, clad in the
dazzling robes of early summer, came upon her with the suddenness of a
revelation. She begged to be allowed to wait for her uncle out of doors,
and wandered slowly on past the great barns to where the wide gate
stretched across the green road. When she reached it she stopped and
looked with keen delight at the beautiful creatures in the fields on
either side. The sunshine fell upon her with loving warmth; in the
distance she could hear the whirr of a mowing machin