y consigned to oblivion, it appeared to rise again like a
ghost, and threaten the destruction of her position. True, she had done
much since she came to Birkwood to strengthen her hold on Mabel's
affection, but she knew that her one deed of supposed heroism was the
basis of their friendship, and the groundwork of her general popularity;
and she trembled to think what the effect might be if this foundation
stone were removed.

"I don't want my photograph blazoned abroad," she said, almost crying.
"I'd rather Miss Drummond didn't put either me or the statue in the
Magazine. Promise me, Mabel, that you won't send a copy to anybody, if
she does."

"But why shouldn't I?" said Mabel, much surprised.

"Because I don't wish it. The statue was a stupid thing, after all; far
too much fuss has been made of it. I'm sorry I didn't knock it down as
soon as it was finished!"

"Aldred! how can you say so?"

"Well, I'm tired of hearing about it, anyway," returned Aldred, "and I
hope you won't mention it to your cousin; it makes me feel silly to have
such a tremendous 'cock-a-doodling' over all my stupid little
performances, which really aren't worth it."

"Well, I won't, if you so particularly ask me not to," said Mabel, in a
disappointed voice. "But you can't always hide everything; it's not fair
to the world if all the brave and clever things that are done must be
suppressed--they're such a help and encouragement to other people. I,
for instance, am ever so much better for having known you; you've been
quite an inspiration in my life. My mother had a friend like that (it
was Lady Betty Blakeney, who is now so famous) who had a tremendous
influence over her, and first made her want to help poor people, and
take up the work she does now; and she always hoped I should meet
somebody who would be as much to me as her friend was to her. But I
never did until you came to Birkwood."

It seemed useless to protest; the more Aldred tried to shuffle out of
her role of heroine the more Mabel admired her modesty and her other
imagined excellencies. Mabel was a girl who loved to idolize
celebrities; it was partly a necessity of her nature, and partly a habit
that had been cultivated at home by her mother, who had a kindred
weakness. Before the two girls knew each other, Mabel had been obliged
to confine her worship to book favourites; then, having met, as she
thought, the realization of her ideal, she could not resist the
temptation to endo