drawn. So Peter chose a roundabout way of
coming to his subject.

"I wanted to talk to you about Beth, Mrs. Bergen," he began cheerfully.
She offered him a chair but Peter leaned against the windowsill looking
out into the gray morning. He told her what he had discovered about her
niece's voice, that he himself had been educated in music and that he
thought every opportunity should be given Beth to have her voice
trained.

He saw that Mrs. Bergen was disarmed for the moment as to the real
purpose of his visit and he went on to tell her just what had happened
at the Cabin with Shad Wells the day before, and asking her, as Beth's
only guardian, for permission to carry out his plan to teach her all
that he knew, after which he hoped it would be possible for her to go to
New York for more advanced training.

Mrs. Bergen listened in wonder, gasping at the tale of Shad Wells's
undoing, which Peter asked her to keep in confidence. From Mrs. Bergen's
comments he saw that she took little stock in Shad, who had been
bothering Beth for two years or more, and that her own love for the girl
amounted to a blind adoration which could see no fault in anything that
she might do. It was clear that she was delighted with the opportunities
Peter offered, for she had always known that Beth sang "prettier than
anybody in the world." As to going to the Cabin for the lessons, that
was nobody's business but Beth's. She was twenty-two--and able to look
out for herself.

"I'm an old woman, Mr. Nichols," she concluded timidly, "an' I've seen a
lot of trouble, one kind or another, but I ain't often mistaken in my
judgments. I know Beth. She ain't nobody's fool. And if she likes you,
you ought to be glad of it. If she's willin' to come to your cabin, I'm
willin' that she should go there--no matter who don't like it or why.
She can look after herself--aye, better than I can look after her." She
sighed. And then with some access of spirit, "You're different from most
of the folks around here, but I don't see nothin' wrong with you. If you
say you want to help Beth, I'm willin' to believe you. But if I thought
you meant her any harm----"

She broke off and stared at him with her mild eyes under brows meant to
be severe.

"I hope you don't want to think that, Mrs. Bergen," said Peter gently.

"No. I don't want to. Beth don't take up with every Tom, Dick and Harry.
And if she likes you, I reckon she knows what's she's about."

"I want to help