ay after day, and not as fresh and strong either, by a long
way."

"Sell my--flowers!" The suggestion, coming so suddenly, made Bella gasp.
"Oh, but, Aunt Maggie, how could I? I should have to go to people's
houses and ask them to buy, shouldn't I? I don't believe I'd ever be able
to make up my mind to." Bella looked alarmed at the mere idea, but though
alarmed she was also pleased with the daring suggestion, and her cheeks
grew rosy red with excitement. Mrs. Langley nodded thoughtfully, but she
did not reply at once. With many girls she would not have approved of
such a plan, but she thought Bella could be trusted.

"Yes," she said at last, "I think you could be trusted, child, not to grow
bold and rude and pushing, even if you had to ask people to buy your
flowers. You might, perhaps, be able to arrange with a florist to take
all you had every week. Of course, he would want to make a profit, so you
wouldn't get so much for them, but you would be saved a good deal of time
and trouble, maybe."

"Oh, but, Aunt Maggie, do you think I could? Do you think I should ever
sell any?"

Bella was still half bewildered by the suddenness and boldness of the new
proposal. There were so many sides to it, too, pleasant and unpleasant.
It would be splendid, she thought, to be able to turn her garden to
account, and to feel her lovely flowers were not wasted. It would be
splendid, too, to be able to put her money each week in her money-box.
She had been longing for some time past to be able to buy a glass frame to
protect some of her seedlings through the winter,--and who knew but what
her flowers would make this possible for her? The thought thrilled her.

On the other hand, she did shrink shyly from the prospect of going up to
people and asking them to buy, and also from the thought of what her
father and Aunt Emma would say. She mentioned this last thought to Aunt
Maggie.

"If you would really like me to," said Mrs. Langley, "I will speak of it
to your father before you do, and then, if he falls in with the plan, he
can talk to your aunt about it. You see, Bella, child, there is another
thing to bear in mind. You are nearly fourteen now, and before very long
you'll have to be thinking about earning your living, and you'll have to
go to service, or think of some way of earning it at home."

"I've been thinking of that, Aunt Maggie;" and a moment later she added
sadly, "and if I went to service I'd have to leave a